Ecuador is back where it was three years ago. And three decades ago. The indigenous movement has once again risen up against the government and this Wednesday marks nine days since the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) called for an indefinite "national, popular and multinational mobilization."
As on other occasions, the government – which has been led by the right-wing Guillermo Lasso since last year – reacted by declaring a state of emergency and bringing the public force onto the highways to stop the massive influx of indigenous people to Quito.
And as in previous protests, the state of emergency – initially decreed in three of the 24 Ecuadorian provinces and since Monday extended to another six – has only managed to further heat up the atmosphere and generate more clashes between security forces and protesters.
The first fatality occurred on Monday, when a man fell into a ravine in Collas, northwest of the capital, fleeing from police officers who were repressing one of the columns trying to reach Quito. The police outpost did not help either, because the indigenous people began to flood the capital that same Monday night.
And in this explosive climate, the only thing missing was the intervention of the military to calm things down. "Ecuador's democracy is at serious risk in the face of the concerted action of exalted people who prevent the free movement of the majority of Ecuadorians," Defense Minister General Luis Lara declared yesterday, who criminalized the umpteenth indigenous uprising, speaking of drug trafficking and organized crime. "These actions coincide with the brutal criminal attack that the country has been suffering from drug traffickers and organized crime," said the minister who, following the military manual of other times, launched: "(The Armed Forces) will not allow attempt to break the constitutional order or any action against democracy and the laws of the republic”.
The day before, Lasso had made other textbook statements, tweeting that the protesters want to "throw (throw out) the president." "I am here to defend Quito, every family in the capital and the country," he added before the indigenous tide that was approaching the city, where the Carondelet Palace, seat of government, is shielded by police and military. “Democracy or chaos, that is the great battle. The battle for democracy,” added Lasso.
With the indigenous strike, which has already caused losses of 28 million euros, in addition to dozens injured and detained, Conaie intends to pressure Lasso to achieve a list of demands. The organization is currently refusing to negotiate with the government because it considers that the president has not done enough in his year in office, despite granting some demands, such as debt forgiveness for peasant families, increasing the social subsidy by five dollars, subsidizing the 50% urea –the most widely used fertilizer in the country– or double the budget for intercultural education.
However, as in 2019 against President Lenín Moreno, during the last great indigenous protest, the high price of fuel in an oil country is once again the main complaint. The Conaie requests the freezing of gasoline prices. And also a price control of essential products or moratoriums to prevent new mining concessions in the Amazon.
The first Ecuadorian indigenous uprising dates back to 1990, when Conaie promoted a historic protest against the social democrat Rodrigo Borja, under the slogans: "No to the IMF, no debt", "No to imperialism" and in favor of a "plurinational State". The movement continues to demand from the State, as then, greater attention to the indigenous population, mainly peasants, who continue to concentrate the highest rates of poverty.
