Indigenous protests against rising prices have been increasing for days. The state of emergency that has now been declared in three provinces allows the government to temporarily suspend civil rights and deploy the military.
Indigenous protests in Cotopaxi province: the government is to meet a 10-point list of demands, including a freeze on high fuel prices.
In view of the violent protests against high fuel prices that have been ongoing since Monday, Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso announced on Friday evening (local time) the imposition of a state of emergency in the three provinces of Cotopaxi, Imbabura and Pichincha, where the capital Quito is located. The state of emergency came into effect on Friday night and is valid for 30 days. In the capital, where there is a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., the military is to form a security zone. The armed forces also support the police in maintaining public order in the three provinces.
Ecuador’s economy has suffered badly from the pandemic. The already tense situation was exacerbated by the Ukraine conflict, which led to higher food and energy prices worldwide. Protests broke out on Monday last week against high fuel prices, which have nearly doubled since 2020. There had already been similar protests in October last year, after which Lasso had frozen fuel prices. Then as now, the powerful umbrella organization of the indigenous peoples, the Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de Ecuador (Conaie), called for the protests. Trade unions have also joined them.
The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples presented the government with a list of 10 demands on Monday, including fixing fuel prices at $1.50 for a gallon (3.8 liters) of diesel and $2.10 for gasoline. In addition, there are calls for financial relief for poor families, fair prices for food produced by smallholders, and restrictions on mining and oil production. The «Agenda de lucha nacional» (Agenda of the national struggle) also calls for measures against speculation in staple foods and an end to privatizations. The protests will continue until all ten demands are met, Conaie said.
In his video message on Friday evening, President Lasso said he was willing to speak to the protesters and offered a dialogue. Lasso met with representatives of the demonstrators on Thursday. He also announced an increase in social benefits and debt relief for poor families. The protesters’ response, however, was even more violence. “They claim they are demonstrating for a lower cost of living. But they block roads and thus cause shortages, rising prices and speculation, »said Lasso on Friday. In addition, the roadblocks would prevent patient transport and thus endanger lives. He will now protect the citizens and the country with the help of the state of emergency.
The protests began largely peacefully on Monday. However, after Leonidas Iza, the head of Conaie, was arrested on Tuesday, the protest actions intensified. Roads were blocked with burning car tires and police cars were also set on fire. The security authorities responded by using tear gas. According to the police, 18 demonstrators and nine police officers were injured during the protests. Other sources speak of more than 80 injured. Around 40 people are said to have been arrested. Iza, who was released by court order on Wednesday, called on the demonstrators to refrain from violence.
The protests are said to have spread to 14 of the 24 provinces. Demonstrators occupied government buildings in the provinces of Pastaza and Morona-Santiago. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, they blocked facilities belonging to the Chinese energy company PetroOriental. This should lead to a production loss of 1400 barrels of crude oil per day. Fuel prices are a sensitive issue in Ecuador as poor families depend on cheaper fuel. At the same time, the indigenous people have been fighting against oil production in the Amazon region for years.
Conaie, who represents 14 indigenous peoples, holds a powerful position in Ecuador. At the turn of the millennium, the organization played a significant role in the overthrow of Presidents Abdalá Bucaram, in 1997, Jamil Mahuad, in 2000, and Lucio Gutiérrez, in 2005. In 2019, Conaie had called for nationwide protests against President Lenín Moreno after the had abolished these subsidies for fuel and the prices had risen sharply as a result. At least 11 people are said to have died during the protests at the time.