Almost two weeks of strike in Ecuador, the protests do not stop

In Ecuador, the possibility of an agreement between the indigenous movement and the government of Guillermo Lasso is moving away, when almost two weeks of anti-government protests have been completed and the political organization of former president Rafael Correa asks for “advance elections.”

The legislative bloc of UNES, the political organization of former President Rafael Correa, formulated the surprising proposal to advance elections by invoking a constitutional article that offers that alternative when there is a serious political crisis and internal commotion in the country.

Virgilio Hernández, leader of UNES, explained that the conditions prescribed in the Constitution of the Republic are met.

“A situation in which the country mourns with deaths, with injuries and an incapable government, which is not capable of responding to citizen clamor,” he said.

Meanwhile, the protests continue and, despite some concessions from the government, the indigenous protesters who blockade parts of the country have not yet accepted an agenda for dialogue.

The Joint Command denounced the attack on a military convoy that was trying to clear a road at the northern entrance of Quito, leaving 17 soldiers wounded and five vehicles destroyed.

“The videos posted on social networks demonstrate the brutality with which these personnel acted against military personnel,” said Edwin Adatty, commander of the Fourth Division.

Almost simultaneously, they denounced the death of a demonstrator in the vicinity of the House of Ecuadorian Culture, epicenter of the protests of the indigenous movement.

Leonidas Iza, president of CONAIE and head of the national strike, said they are willing to “give even our lives, but the economic conditions have to change.”

The Municipality of Quito has had to redouble efforts in recent hours to clear dozens of roads affected by the protests.

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