"I will leave here as president or they will take me out as a corpse," the 47-year-old leftist leader told a local television station by phone from inside the police hospital

In a standoff outside, some Correa supporters hurled stones at the dissident police, who had launched the protests over a government proposal to cut their bonuses and stop promotions.

They fired tear gas back at the president's followers.

The Red Cross said at least 51 people had been injured in the unrest, and officials said they were investigating reports of one death.

The United Nations and governments across the Americas threw their support behind Correa, with the White House backing him and calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Reuters