Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa escaped injury after his car was attacked by a crowd throwing rocks on Tuesday, in what a top minister said was an assassination attempt that had left signs of bullet damage on the vehicle, Reuters reports.

Environment and Energy Minister Ines Manzano, who filed a formal report of an assassination attempt on the president, said five people were detained after Noboa's motorcade surrounded by around 500 protesters throwing stones.

Noboa's office said those arrested would be processed under charges of terrorism and attempted assassination.

"Shooting at the president's car, throwing stones, damaging state property - that's just criminal," said Manzano, after reporting the attack to prosecutors. "We will not allow this."

The national Indigenous federation CONAIE, however, said orchestrated violence had broken out against people who mobilized for Noboa's arrival, saying elderly women were among those attacked in a "brutal police and military action."

"At least five of us have been arbitrarily detained," it said in a post on X.

CONAIE launched strike action 16 days ago, organizing marches and blockading some roads, in a protest against the government ending diesel subsidies.

A video from inside a car published by the presidency showed people throwing rocks on the side of the road and cracks on the car's window. A separate image published by the presidency showed a car with smashed windows and a badly cracked windscreen.