Quito, June 27, 2022 (AFP) – Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso announced on Sunday the drop in fuel prices, the theme of domestic demonstrations that have shaken the country for two weeks and left the country in a vulnerable position for a possible crisis. impeachment in Congress.

While at a lower percentage than demanded by thousands outraged by the high cost of living, the president agreed to a 10-cent reduction that puts the price of diesel at $1.80 and regular gasoline at $2. .45. Locals want drops to $1.50 and $2.10, respectively.

The barricades and the seizure of more than a thousand wells put the oil sector, the country’s main export item, into crisis. According to the government, if the protests continue, the country could halt oil production in the next 48 hours.

At the same time, the Congress debated for the second day in a row the appropriateness of Lasso’s dismissal, which a section of the opposition considered responsible for the “serious political crisis and internal turmoil” that has gripped the country since 13 June. daily demonstrations and blockades.

After seven hours of deliberations on Sunday, the session was adjourned to 11:00 a.m. (13:00 GMT) on Tuesday. Twenty deputies were still making a speech, 84 of whom were registered to speak.

The Union for Hope party, a party affiliated with former socialist president Rafael Correa (2007-2017), has called for a debate against Lasso, who sees social repression as a coup attempt.

For the president to be impeached, he needs 92 out of 137 possible votes in Congress, where the opposition has a majority but is fragmented.

After the completion of the negotiations, the MPs will be given a maximum of 72 hours to vote.

About 14,000 indigenous people are protesting across the country demanding measures to alleviate poverty on farmland.

“Tomorrow (Monday) we will unite to continue fighting in the streets,” native Leonidas Iza, the leader of the demonstrations, said in a park in downtown Quito.

The main focus of the mobilizations, about 10,000 protesters fled their hometowns to the capital.

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