Ecuador extends state of emergency to curb protests against high fuel prices

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Ecuadorian government announced Monday (20) that a state of emergency had been imposed in 6 provinces due to protests. Previously, the measure was active in 3 localities.

The affected provinces are Pichincha, in the metropolitan region of Quito, Cotopaxi, Imbabura, Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Pastaza.

According to census data, 1.1 million indigenous peoples live in Ecuador among its 17.5 million inhabitants.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has declared a state of emergency to contain indigenous protests against high fuel prices, which continued for the 9th day on Tuesday (21).

The country exports oil but imports fuel. In just over a year, diesel prices have risen 90% and gasoline 46%. Under pressure from protesters, prices have been frozen since last October. Now they are demanding that it go down.

The indigenous people also demand a moratorium on the payment of farmers’ debts, price controls on agricultural products, job creation, the suspension of mining concessions in their territories, and investments in health, education, and security.

To contain the crisis, the government increased aid to the most vulnerable by 10 percent (from US$50 to US$55), began providing subsidies to small and medium rural producers, and forgave debts of up to US$3,000 to the State Bank for Productive Development.

He also declared a public health emergency to allocate more resources to the sector and doubled the budget for intercultural education.

The Quito Chamber of Commerce told AFP that the protests had caused at least US$60 million in losses to the manufacturing sector in the first five days and had affected oil production and the cultivation and export of flowers.

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