:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/GUCHTLPE4NCQZL23P6XC3TH2UE.jpg "Indigenous movement of Ecuador sees “authoritarianism” in Lasso by breaking dialogue")
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuador (Conaie), the main promoter of the protests against the economic management of the Government of William Lassoaffirmed this Tuesday that the Executive “confirms its authoritarianism, lack of will and incapacity” by breaking off the dialogue with its leader, Leonidas Iza.
LOOK: National Strike in Ecuador: Guillermo Lasso suspends dialogue with leader of indigenous protests after death of soldier
Conaie demanded respect for its “maximum leader” after President Lasso announced in a message to the nation that the Executive would not sit down with Iza again, whom he called “opportunist” and managing personal interests with which ” he has deceived” his base and the entire country.
“Lasso does not break with Leonidas, he breaks with the people,” Conaie published on social networks, in a message where he also blamed the conservative president “for the consequences of his warmongering policy.”
Lasso’s message was given as a result of the attack “with firearms and spears” suffered in the early hours of this Tuesday by a convoy that was transporting fuel, in an episode in which a soldier who participated in the protection of that caravan of vehicles died.
The attack against that convoy made the Government decide not to sit down to negotiate with Iza again, after a first meeting held on Monday where there were advances and new concessions from the Government.
In a statement given at the Basilica of the National Vote, where the indigenous movement was waiting for the Executive delegates to arrive to resume the dialogue, Iza called for the formation of an independent commission to investigate the events that occurred in the Amazonian province of Orellana.
“A PROVOCATION”, ACCORDING TO IZA
The president of Conaie considered that the episode that occurred at dawn was a provocation by the Armed Forces because “they entered with a military convoy where there was a demonstration.”
In the dialogue session on Monday, the Executive delegates had announced that a decree to promote oil activity in the Amazon would be repealed and announced their commitment not to give more mining concessions in protected natural areas and intangible zones.
This was added to the announcement of lowering the price of subsidized fuels by 10 cents, so that 85-octane gasoline and diesel cost 2.45 and 1.80 dollars per gallon (3.78 liters), respectively. , something that the indigenous movement considered insufficient since it asks that prices drop to 2.10 and 1.50 dollars.
During Monday’s meeting there was also a commitment to form working groups for most of the points of the indigenous movement’s list of demands, such as forgiving peasant families overdue debts of up to 10,000 dollars and controlling the prices of basic necessities.
The protests reached their sixteenth day on Tuesday after starting on June 13, and in that time six deaths have been recorded, including the soldier who perished at dawn, and around 400 injured among protesters and security forces.
As a result of the numerous roadblocks, there is a shortage of fuel and other essential products in various parts of the country, mainly in the southern Andean city of Cuenca, capital of the province of Azuay.
Source: Elcomercio
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.
