Ecuador Political Crisis

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

The eyes of the world were on Ecuador in the face of the political crisis that the country is facing in recent weeks.

Despite the fact that a series of violent protests ended, many wonder how the conflict started?

The streets of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, were filled with thousands of indigenous and student protesters for more than 10 days. The violent protests left at least seven dead and more than 1,000 wounded, the New York Times reports.

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It all started on October 3, when the government ended gasoline and diesel subsidies, causing fuel prices to rise and prompting taxi drivers and truck drivers to take to the streets to express their discontent.

Indigenous groups, students, and supporters of former President Rafael Correa, who ended his term in 2017, also joined the mass protests. Crowds of protesters ransacked government offices, flights were canceled, and roads were blocked.

Protesters also burned police and military vehicles as officers struggled to appease the crowds. As the tension and violence increased, the residents of Quito were in a state of panic. Protesters threw homemade firebombs at the police, BBC News reported, and officials responded with tear gas.

The current president of Ecuador, Lenín Moreno, accused supporters of former President Correa of trying to overthrow his government. The Washington Post reports that Correa denied planning a coup or was in any way involved in the protests.

President Moreno addressed the discontent of indigenous peoples by offering "to adopt a solution in which the resources go to those who need them most," reports the New York Times. Indigenous leaders began a dialogue with the president, with the support of the Catholic Church of Ecuador and the United Nations. Jaime Vargas, president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, said that cutting the fuel subsidy brought "only more social injustice" and demanded a change.

Ecuador's economy was hit by a recession in 2016, and Moreno's opponents say he has not done enough to solve the economic crisis. The rise in fuel prices after subsidies were reduced angered the country's poorest groups, including indigenous communities and transportation workers.

Peace appears to be returning to Ecuador after indigenous leaders and President Moreno reached an agreement on Sunday night to cancel the austerity package that generated discontent and civil unrest for 11 days.

After the agreement was announced, the country's spirits rose and people celebrated the truce. Touching cars with drivers and passengers shouting happily and waving Ecuadorian flags filled the streets.