QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Ecuadorean authorities have arrested four colonels
                  and 12 lieutenant colonels and detained hundreds of other officers for their roles
                  in the uprising that led to President Jamil Mahuad's overthrow, authorities said
                  Thursday.

                  Gen. Telmo Sandoval, who ascended to armed forces commander in last
                  week's power shuffle, confirmed the arrests Thursday of colonels Lucio
                  Gutierrez, Fausto Cobo, Gustavo Lalama and Jorge Brito.

                  A Defense Ministry spokesman said 12 lieutenant colonels had also been
                  arrested and 300 junior officers were being detained in military barracks
                  while investigations continued. The 300 had not been charged.

                  The colonels and lieutenant colonels face between six to eight years in prison if
                  found guilty of charges ranging from insurrection to insubordination. Sandoval
                  said they would receive fair trials and assured full respect for their physical safety."

                  Together with hundreds of Indians, the four colonels led an insurrection of
                  young army officers last week to seize Congress and proclaim a new
                  governing junta to fight corruption and work to improve the lives of the poor.

                  The junta was composed of Gutierrez, Indian leader Antonio Vargas, and a
                  former Supreme Court president.

                  The military high command threw its support to the civilian-military
                  "Parliament of the People," with armed forces chief Gen. Carlos Mendoza
                  taking Gutierrez's spot on the ruling council.

                  Mahuad was forced to abandon power.

                  But the next day, under pressure from Washington and more than 20
                  regional commanders who rejected the overthrow of civilian rule, Mendoza
                  disbanded the junta, turned over his post to Sandoval and ceded power to
                  Vice President Gustavo Noboa.

                  On Wednesday, Noboa received the presidential sash in a ceremony in
                  Congress.

                    Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.