National strike in Ecuador: indigenous leader Leonidas Iza announces that he will move to Quito to lead the protests

The president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), Leonidas Isaannounced that within 48 hours he will participate in a tour that will take him to the capital, Quito, within the framework of the protests against the cost of living and other government policies.

“Within 48 hours we will coordinate the logistical conditions of food, provisions from our communities and organizations to walk and participate in the mobilizations in the city of Quito”stated in a statement last midnight from the Andean province of Cotopaxi.

LOOK: Who is Leonidas Iza, the powerful indigenous leader arrested for the protests in Ecuador?

The president of the main organization that brings together 14 nationalities and 18 native peoples of the country, confirmed that The protest that began on Monday continues at the national and territorial levels and indefinitely.“until the national government extends the responses to the demands of the indigenous movement.”

The main claims focus on the rise in fuel prices, the low prices received by banana and milk producers, and the demand to respect twenty collective rights that protect indigenous peopleespecially given the Executive’s plans to increase oil and mining activity.

Iza’s statement came shortly after the president of Ecuador, William Lassowill call on Thursday night for dialogue and to put down the protests.

The president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), Leonidas Iza (c), arrives at the Chasqui sector, where indigenous people closed the main entrance road to Quito from early in the morning. (EFE/ José Jácome).

In response to this call, the leader of the indigenous movement clarified that “The decision of the peoples is: We will not go to any dialogue process that does not have results. Our demands are public and we need public answers”.

And he reiterated his proposal to call a popular assembly made up of different social organizations, “That we be the collectives that take this broken country forward”, pronounced.

Finally, He asked the members of the organizational structures of the indigenous movement and the citizens who participate in the mobilizations to carry out the protest without vandalism.

“We must close any process of vandalism, it must be controlled. We do not accept that a fight that we have led to this day is intended to become a criminal act in this country. We carry this fight, this resistance, with dignity on our feet, but never be confused with acts of violence or worse vandalism “he claimed.

Iza was arrested in Cotopaxi on the first day of the so-called national strike and released a day later on parole.

His apprehension was censured by social groups and jurists who point out that it was an arbitrary detention and that due process was not complied with.

In that sense, considered unacceptable “in a democratic country that there are fascist cadres that implement a policy of persecution that has been deteriorating intercultural and social relations in this country.”

For its part, Lasso expressed in a message to the nation the interest of various organizations in mediating in a possible dialogue between the government and the protesters, especially with Conaie.

“We have insisted on our willingness to dialogue” and the offers of mediation expressed by the Catholic Church, the representation in the country of the United Nations and various universities are welcome, he added.

The mobilizations have been characterized by roadblocks in several provinces of the country, the seizure of oil installations by indigenous groups and the headquarters of the Bolívar province government, as well as altercations in the center of Quito led by young people, who They have caused damage to police patrol cars and public property.

Source: Elcomercio