Protesters set for talks with govt amid violent rallies
QUITO: The first meeting between Ecuador’s president and indigenous leaders was set to take place yesterday, the United Nations said after Lenin Moreno had ordered a curfew and military control in the capital in an attempt to quell deadly, anti-austerity protests in the country.
The rolling demonstrations have left six people dead and nearly 2,100 wounded or detained, according to authorities, with protesters on Saturday targeting a television station and a newspaper as well as setting fire to the comptroller general’s office.
The UN and the Catholic Church “inform the Ecuadorian society that after having contact with the government and the organisations of the indigenous movement, the first reunion for dialogue has been called for October 13” in Quito, a joint statement said.
The crisis broke out at the start of October after President Moreno ordered fuel subsidies cut as part of a deal struck by his government to obtain a US$4.2 billion (127.9 billion baht) loan from the International Monetary Fund.
The price of fuel has since more than doubled.
Ecuador’s indigenous groups make up a quarter of the country’s 17.3 million people. Thousands from disadvantaged communities in the Amazon and the Andes have traveled to Quito where they are spearheading demands that the subsidies be put back in place.
Demonstrators on Saturday ransacked and set fire to the building housing the comptroller general’s office, which was shrouded in thick smoke after being attacked with firebombs.
The prosecutor’s office said 34 people were arrested.
Nearby, protesters built barricades in front of the National Assembly building as police fired tear gas at them, according to journalists.
The Teleamazonas TV channel interrupted its regular broadcast to air images of broken windows, a burned vehicle and heavy police presence on the scene.
“For about half an hour, we were under attack. They threw stones at us, forced open the doors and threw Molotov cocktails,” presenter Milton Perez said.
The station evacuated 25 employees, none of them hurt.
El Comercio newspaper reported on Twitter that its offices were attacked by a “group of unknowns.” It did not provide further details.
“We have nothing to do with the events at the comptroller’s office and
Teleamazonas,” said CONAIE, the indigenous umbrella group which has been leading the protests.
Protesters did not immediately heed the curfew that went into effect at 3pm local time with security forces still struggling to impose order in some parts of the city as night fell.
“Where are the mothers and fathers of the police? Why do they let them kill us?” cried Nancy Quinyupani, an indigenous woman.