Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa on Saturday accused the United States of trying to destabilize his government, by infiltrating it with spies.

The 51-year-old economist trained in the US has faced opposition protests as he seeks constitutional changes that would allow him to seek re-election next year to another four-year term.

"There has been infiltration here, by the CIA to wear down the government," Correa, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, said in his weekly address.

Maduro has repeatedly claimed that the United States is trying to topple his government.

Analysts say Maduro makes the charge, denied by Washington, to deflect attention from economic crisis there.

While Ecuador's growth has slowed, it is not in crisis like Venezuela. Maduro has moved toward a centrally planned system increasingly similar to that of its top regional ally, communist Cuba.

Opposition forces took to Ecuador's streets starting Thursday over Correa's policies and his bid for another term, which would have to be approved by the legislature controlled by his supporters.

Correa has been president since 2007.

His constitutional reforms would allow unlimited re-election, setting him up to run again next year.

Irate union supporters say his plans would not respect workers' right to unionize, and indigenous people say his land legislation would erode their rights over traditional land use.

The demonstrations are "a strategy to wear us down," the president said Friday.

"If they can destabilize us, they will. If they can't, they know how much popular support we have. So all they can do is try to keep wearing us down ahead of the upcoming elections."

On Saturday, Correa said he was victim of an "ambush" by a "mob" of demonstrators at an event in Riobamba.

In February, Correa had a 55 percent approval rating, and 81 percent said unlimited re-election should be voted on in a referendum, not by the legislature, pollsters Cedatos found.