Ecuador: a journalist dies in an accident while covering indigenous protests

A journalist from Ecuador died accidentally while covering protests by indigenous people against the government’s economic policy, the NGO Fundamedios reported on Wednesday, which also records eight attacks against the press during the demonstrations.

“The reporter of the channel of the Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (@Micc_Ec), Gonzalo Rojas, died after falling from a truck, while filming the demonstrations in Toacaso”, south of Quitosaid the agency, which promotes freedom of expression.

Rojas He was also the leader of an indigenous community in the Andean province of Cotopaxi.

The Micc, of which he was president, confirmed that the journalist Rojas “died covering” the protests called by the powerful and opposition Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie), which since Tuesday has rejected the increases in the price of diesel by 90 with roadblocks. % from 2020 ($ 1 to $ 1.90 in 3.8 liter gallon).

On the first day of the demonstrations, Fundamedios registered eight attacks against journalists and the media, in which “the State was the main aggressor.”

The protests also leave 37 detainees, five police officers injured and two soldiers held by protesters, who were in good condition, according to the government.

________________________________