Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso suspended talks with the top indigenous leader on Tuesday to end two weeks of protests against the high cost of living following an attack on the military that left a soldier dead.
“We will not sit back and talk with Leonidas Iza, who only defends his own political interests, not the interests of his bases (…) we will not negotiate with those who are holding Ecuador hostage,” said the right-winger. wing head.
The powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie), led by Iza, responded by accusing Lasso of “authoritarianism, reluctance and incompetence” and said he needed to respond to “the consequences of a policy of warmongering”.
A group of military and police officers guarding a convoy with fuel in the Amazon overnight were attacked with “spears and firearms” by protesters, according to authorities.
One soldier was killed and twelve soldiers, including five police officers, were injured in the attack.
The second day of dialogue between Conaie and an Executive committee headed by the Minister of Government (Casa Civil) failed when official representation failed to show itself.
“As a leader you deserve more than an opportunist (…) It is a crime to play with the lives of the innocent. The country is witness to all our efforts to establish a fruitful and sincere dialogue,” Lasso said. , a former banker who came to power a year ago.
“It was a brutal attack (…) But how do we know if it really came from the protesters?” Iza asked.
Insufficient concessions.
After Lasso’s announcement, hundreds of indigenous peoples in Quito returned to duty. Trade closed its gates as they passed.
“The lasso does not break with Leonidas, it breaks with people,” Conaie wrote on Twitter.
Indigenous people and the government have been fighting for more than two weeks before reaching an agreement to defuse the crisis.
The high cost of living fueled by rising fuel prices has led nearly 14,000 protesters to take to the streets since 13 June, mostly in Quito. They demand measures to mitigate the economic blow to agricultural production and the basic food basket.
Festive marches, barricades and violent clashes between law enforcement and locals put pressure on the unpopular President Lasso, who has only 17% of approval.
Also cornered by an ongoing debate in Congress about his impeachment, the conservative is slowly yielding to the demands of the protesters, which they see as inadequate.
He lowered fuel prices, though not to the extent the protesters demanded; It imposed a moratorium on debts of up to $3,000 to villagers and lifted the exception, when the military abandoned barracks in six of the country’s 24 provinces and declared curfews in Quito.
“Coup Attempt”
Amid the social turmoil, Parliament has been discussing since Saturday the possibility of impeaching the president, which parts of the opposition believe are responsible for the “serious political crisis and civil turmoil” in Ecuador.
More than 80 lawmakers attended the third negotiation day, which may be extended, this Tuesday. After the debate, they have up to 72 hours to vote.
You need 92 of the 137 possible endorsements in Congress to impeach the president.
In a video posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Lasso said the opposition “wants to attack democracy (…) I urge to protect the country from this attempted coup”.
Ecuador gained a reputation as unmanageable after three presidents abruptly left between 1997 and 2005 in the face of social pressure.
The country, whose dollarized economy started to recover from the effects of the pandemic, is losing approximately 50 million US dollars a day as a result of the crises, according to official figures.
On the sidelines of Tuesday’s attack, five protesters were killed in the protests and more than 500 were injured, including members of order forces and civilians, according to various sources. Conaie condemns the police crackdown.
Worn out by the crisis due to the closure of shops and the shortage of some products, Quito is also the scene of counter-protests.
Hundreds of Ecuadorians and convoys roam the affluent areas every day, honking horns and waving white flags.
Lacking greater political support, Lasso now has the support of the military, which has closed ranks around his government.
source: Noticias
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