Ecuador’s president says he was the target of foiled chocolate and jam poisoning

Ecuador’s president said someone tried to poison him by putting three highly concentrated toxic substances in gifts of chocolate and jam.

Daniel Noboa said his team has evidence to support the claim, although he has yet to publicly provide any evidence.

The South American leader told CNN on Thursday that he believed it was “virtually impossible” for the three chemicals to be accidentally found in high concentrations in the items.

His comments come after violent clashes in Ecuador over fuel price spikes during his presidency. The centre-right politician has sparked a military crackdown on drug gangs but has also faced accusations of attacking protesters.

Noboa has denied the allegations of attempted murder – the third in two months – were a means of portraying his detractors as violent.

“No one throws a Molotov cocktail at themselves … or poisons themselves with chocolate or throws stones at themselves,” he said, referring to previous incidents.

In early October, the government of Ecuador announced five people were detained for what was described as an alleged attempted murder.

About 500 people threw stones at the president’s car and there were “signs of bullet damage” on his vehicle, according to the country’s energy and environment minister, who added that Noboa was unharmed.

The BBC was unable to independently confirm that a bullet had been fired.

The government also said that in late September a humanitarian convoy containing Noboa was attacked and 17 soldiers were taken hostage.

Ecuadorian officials said the convoy, which included UN and EU diplomats, was delivering aid to communities affected by a national strike when it was attacked by about 350 people who attacked it with Molotov cocktails.

Noboa posted photos of broken windshields and car windows on social media.

A nationwide strike protesting the government’s end of diesel subsidies ended on Thursday after several weeks.

The strike was called by the country’s largest indigenous organization – the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador (Conaye) – with organized marches and roadblocks.

The Conaie group led demonstrations that toppled three presidents between 1997 and 2005.