The strike continues while the Assembly debates the dismissal of Lasso

First modification: 06/27/2022 – 04:47

The Andean country of Ecuador celebrates 14 days of national strike, streets are blocked, demonstrations are maintained and indigenous delegations remain in the Ecuadorian capital.

The indigenous movement insists that it will not end its de facto measures until the government meets its 10 demands, such as freezing the price of gasoline and claiming their rights, among others.

With an artistic celebration from the agora of the House of Culture, the indigenous movement declared this Sunday as a day of rest and regrouping to continue with their social demands. The music, the smoke and the ancestry were part of the day that for the first time in days did not register confrontations between the police and the protesters in Quito.

From the spokespersons of the CONAIE, it has been reported that the actions that are maintained against the Government of President Guillermo Lasso, are maintained in 23 provinces of the country in the regions of the mountains, coast and Amazon.

Despite the fatigue they carry for days that they have been mobilizing, sleeping in humanitarian centers and with limited food. The vice president of the Confederation of the Peoples of the Kichwa Nationality of Ecuador – ECUARUNARI, Nayra Chalán, assured that they support the fight and that: “We demand social justice. The ten points are to minimally balance the unequal balance that we live in the country.”

Likewise, recently the president of CONAIE, Leonidas Iza, assured that a humanitarian corridor has been arranged for the transfer of medical supplies and food. After the president rejected on his twitter account that a humanitarian convoy was attacked in the province of Azuay, in the south of the country.

While CONAIE reaffirms its resistance, the National Assembly of Ecuador continues with the debate on the impeachment of the president. This petition, which was requested by the Correismo wing, is based on article 130 of the Constitution number two, which indicates that the Assembly can remove the president due to the “serious political crisis and internal commotion.”

The Government assures that there are no arguments to call cross death

The Minister of the Government of Ecuador, Francisco Jiménez, was this Sunday “convinced” that the request for the dismissal of the president, Guillermo Lasso, will not prosper in the National Assembly.

“Those coup plotters who are quartered in the Unes organization are going to fail because the move hasn’t worked out for them either in the street or in the Assembly, and it won’t work out for them,” he added.

On the part of the Government, it has been insisted that an openness to dialogue has been maintained, in addition, it has insisted that it has responded to CONAIE’s requests such as canceling debts of up to 3 thousand dollars, increasing the Development Bonus by 5 dollars, among others.

In the midst of the national strike, the IMF approves a disbursement to the Government

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the disbursement of one billion dollars for Ecuador after reviewing the goals of the program agreed with the country in 2020.

The IMF reported that the disbursement will be made immediately and that the money is intended for the General State Budget. In addition, this amount corresponds to the credit of 6,500 million of which the country has already received 4,800 million.

The Government of Ecuador expects the IMF to make another disbursement of 700 million dollars for December this year, if the Government reaches the goals set as part of the agreement. One of those is to execute new corrective measures related to the debt that it maintains with the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security.

Simón Cueva, Minister of Economy and Finance, said that these funds will be allocated to spending on social aspects, road projects, security and the fight against child malnutrition.

Effects on the economy

In this context, the authorities announced that this Sunday a loss of 500 million dollars was reached in the economy.

In addition, the oil sector, one of the pillars of the Ecuadorian economy, has been affected by approximately 96 million dollars by stopping production in these two weeks of nearly one million barrels of crude oil, of which 855,000 are from wells operated by the state Petroecuador and 215,000 by private operators.

Even the authorities have warned that due to the roadblocks, the extraction of crude oil can be stopped in 48 hours.

With efe, afp and local media