The indigenous people of Ecuador agreed to meet with the Lazo government after 15 days of protests

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) and other groups promoting social protests accepted on Monday the invitation to meet the governmentwhen 15 days of protests are celebrated against the administration of President Guillermo Lasso for the high cost of living.

On his Twitter account, Conaie reported that the meeting “with the five powers of the state” will take place at 2:00 pm local time, but did not specify further details other than asking his bases “to supervise”.

This meeting takes place after the government and the leaders of the indigenous movement made first contact on Saturday and after both sides made gestures to reduce the tension of a conflict which, according to human rights organizations, rrecords 5 dead and more than 200 injured.

“By collective decision of the structures of Conaie, Feine (organization of evangelical indigenous people in Ecuador) and Fenocin (National Confederation of peasant, indigenous and black organizations) we accept the invitation made for the meeting with the 5 powers of the state“, stressed Conaie.

In a message, the indigenous movement specified that the appointment will be this Monday “with the intention of channeling technical spaces and efficiently so that the demands of the 10-point national agenda have results and are guaranteed “.

However, he did not specify the place where the meeting will take place, despite the reporters having gone to the Basilica of the National Vow, in the center of Quito, nor did he anticipate who will be the delegates of the demonstrators or the government counterpart.

First contact

On Saturday, representatives of the Ecuadorian government met directly with the president of Conaie, Leonidas Iza, in a first direct contact when they completed 13 days of mobilization.

That meeting took place after a convocation by the president of the National Assembly, Virgilio Saquicela, who stressed that Ecuador it needs an immediate dialogue to resolve the crisis it is going through.

The meeting took place in the Church of the Basilica of the National Vow and was attended, on behalf of the Executive, by the Ministers of the Government, Francisco Jiménez, and of Foreign Relations, Juan Carlos Holguín, among others.

The presidents of the National Electoral Council and the Transparency Function also participated and delegates from other indigenous organizations participated on behalf of the demonstrators.

Proposals

Saquicela then reported that in the meeting it was proposed to form a technical table with delegates from the indigenous movement and the Government to start the dialogue process and analyze each of the proposals put forward by the demonstrators, mobilized since 13 June.

Iza indicated that in order to make a decision he must first consult with the grassroots of the organizations, and on Monday he specified the answer.

The indigenous movement calls for compliance with a list of ten requests, including the reduction and freezing of fuel pricesthat the prices of basic necessities are controlled, that state-owned companies are not privatized and that the oil and mining activities in the Amazon are not expanded.

Source: EFE and AP

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