National strike: roads in Ecuador blocked through call for indigenous mobilizations

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples (Conaie) called for an indefinite general strike in Ecuador against rising fuel prices, the cost of living, and the government’s neoliberal policies. Roadblocks and demonstrations throughout the country.

According to reports from the National Risk Service and ECU911, roads were blocked in at least six provinces of the country by groups of protesters who had joined the national strike called by Conaie.

In Tungurahua, the Ambato-Quito road is closed at the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park and the Baños-Puyo road is closed in the Té Zulay sector at the Y entrance to Madre Tierra.

In Pastaza, the Puyo-Mera road in the Té Zulay sector; Puyo-Macas at km 51 Tsuraku; and Puyo-Santa Clara-Tena in the Rey de Oriente sector.

In Chimborazo: the Riobamba-Pallatanga-Guayaquil roads in the Pangor sector; Riobamba-Guamote-Alausí-Chunchi-Cuenca, covering the Guano, Colta laguna de Colta, Columbe San Martín and Alausí La Moya areas.

In Cotopaxi, on the Latacunga-Quito road, at the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park.

In Pichincha: the sections Intervalles-Ruta Viva, Cusubamba-Cayambe, Guayllabamba-Calderón and Tabacundo-Cajas.

In Azuay, the road Cumbe-Jarata-Oña. The Molleturo-Naranjal road was closed this evening due to a demonstration in the Hierba Buena sector.

In addition, short stretches were closed in El Oro, Los Ríos, Guayas, and Santa Elena controlled by security forces.

The protesters blocked the roads with stones, sticks, and burned tires.

The Conaie is demanding that the Guillermo Lasso government comply with a ten-point agenda, including the reduction of fuel prices, the cancellation of farmers’ debts to public banks, respect for collective rights, the abandonment of the sale of state property, the control and stabilization of staple food prices, and more.

Government Minister Francisco Jiménez said in an interview with Ecuavisa that the security forces are holding talks with the demonstrators to allow the reopening of the roads during the morning.

He said that the regime would act with tolerance but in accordance with the law. He stressed that the country could not stop because it needed to rebuild its economy. The country does not need chaos, he said.

We will not stop listening and looking for solutions, but we will not allow them to paralyze the country,” he said.

Jiménez pointed out that the security forces were asked to intervene while respecting human rights, the law, and the Constitution, that they should not exhaust dialogue, and that the most important thing is peace in the country. “We are not a repressive government, but a democratic one. We will not act lukewarmly,” he added.