Last minute of the protests and National Strike in Ecuador, LIVE: New clashes in Quito

Ecuador this Friday is experiencing its twelfth consecutive day of protests against the cost of living and the economic policies of the Government of Guillermo Lasso, a conflict that already exceeds that of October 2019, when the mobilizations paralyzed the country for 11 days in a row.

Although they do not share the same causes, the similarities between both episodes are numerous, since in both cases they have had as the main promoter of the protests to the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuador (Conaie) and on both occasions the conflict has ended up concentrated in the center of Quito, with violent episodes.

In number of victims, protests of 2019 continue above registering a dozen deaths and some 1,500 wounded, of which approximately a third were members of the security forces, while in the current conflict there are currently four dead protesters and several hundred wounded among protesters, police and military.

In 2019, the social outbreak was caused by the abrupt elimination of fuel subsidies, which led to numerous social sectors, such as carriers, accompanying the indigenous people and amplifying the impact of the mobilization until then President Lenín Moreno backtracked.

Now the phenomenon is led by the indigenous movement after feeling that the different moments in which it has sat down to talk with lasso during his first year in office they have not borne fruit regarding his various demands.

DECALOGUE OF DEMANDS

Despite the fact that the Government has approved some of the demands of this document, the indigenous movement maintains the protests until all of its requirements are met.

As now almost three years ago, the nerve center of the mobilization has been located in the House of Ecuadorian Culture, in Quito, and in its neighboring El Arbolito park, which on Thursday was once again the scene of intense and strong clashes between police and protesters, just like in 2019.

Around this park, located a short distance from the National Assembly (Parliament), barricades were built again by the protesters and numerous fires were lit to burn eucalyptus branches to counteract the abundant tear gas launched by the security forces.

Although both in protests Both in 2019 and in the current ones, violent acts have been registered, those that are 12 days old today have presented an escalation that has included the burning of police units, the burning of patrol cars and military vehicles.

NO DIALOGUE IN SIGHT

What has not yet happened is a process of dialogue between the Executive and the organizations promoting the marches, something that took place in 2021 and helped resolve the conflict.

Currently the president of the Conaie, Leonidas Isamain promoter of protestshas repeatedly refused to sit down to talk with the Government, and for this he asked in exchange for admission to the House of Culture, the repeal of the still-in-force state of emergency decreed by lasso and ensure that all demands will be addressed.

Although the Government granted him access to the House of Culture on Thursday to establish a “popular assembly”, it was not installed until this Friday and on Thursday the altercations continued after the Police dissolved a march with gas and riot gear. which reached the National Assembly.

The call for dialogue, which lasso accepted at first, has been carried out by numerous civil and religious organizations, including the Episcopal Conference, and has the technical support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.