Violence grows in Ecuador: there are barricades in the streets of Quito and they reject the dialogue

Friday's day in Quito, Ecuador, once again took the streets for the owners, who were braided in new and increasingly violent clashes with the security forces. In the middle of curfew, they registered 5 dead, 2,000 injured and more than 600 arrestedIn addition to detained journalists who were not allowed to take stock.

The tense situation led to a message from the president Lenin Moreno, who raised the possibility of opening a face to face dialogue about the controversy Decree 883, which contains the reduction of fuel subsidies.

"It is essential to stop the violence. We must find solutions", said the president, after the call of the leaders of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) and other indigenous groups, to radicalize the actions undertaken after the failure of a first attempt at dialogue at the request of the UN and the Catholic Church.

"Let's sit down to speak, let's sit down to talk about decree 883, Let's talk about where your resources should goand make sure they reach out to those who need it most, "Moreno said in a brief message across the national network. "Let the country know that we are open to dialogue".

This is Moreno's first opening for dialogue on the adjustments, after a week of extreme tension in his country. Earlier, the president accused the protesters of being part of a strategy of Nicolás Maduro and his former ally, Rafael Correa, aiming to remove him from office.

As they have done since the beginning of the conflict, the indigenous movement rejected the offer President Lenín Moreno to engage in a direct dialogue to resolve the crisis. "The dialogue that has been promulgated lacks credibility," said the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) in a statement. In addition, they indicated that they would only talk with the government "once repealed" decree removing fuel subsidies.

Friday morning, the capital of Ecuador lived in an atmosphere of maximum tension: while uniforms were monitoring the surroundings of the seat of the Legislative Assembly, which had been destroyed Tuesday by the Indians, protesters launched stones and pyrotechnics. , and the attack took place with tear gas and rubber shells.

In the streets, riot gear advanced on the natives, who carried wooden spears and shields. "Killers!"they shouted against the armed forces. When we could see the wounded falling, who were transferred on makeshift stretchers by protesters.

The clashes intensified with the arrival in the capital of a thousand indigenous peoples of the Amazon armed with spears. Leader Marlon Vargas has launched a new call for intensify the protest in the Amazon rainforest. "In our territories are detachments, battalions (military) Now, brothers, let's act with force, because they kill us here," he said in one of his speeches.

Moreno, who decided Wednesday to move the country's capital to Guayaquil, after declaring the state of emergency and sent the armed forces to control the protests, is ready to reach an agreement with the protesters to restore the peace and stability in his country. Country. However, there seems to be no predisposition on the other side.

Since the beginning of the demonstrations, the country disrupted oil transportation, which is the largest source of foreign currency in the country, because of the strong Well occupation in the Amazon.

And, in addition to eliminating subsidies, the measures provide cut rights to public sector employees.

From Washington, the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, sent a statement in which expressed support under pressure from the Ecuadorian government and described its reforms as "necessary".

"We recognize the difficult decisions made by the Ecuadorian government for (…) promote sustainable economic growth", writes the manager in his message.

During, Conaie demands that the adjustments be repealed. "The countries that have signed agreements with the IMF have come out of it badly," he said. AFP Diego De la Vega, a 24-year-old university student who joined the indigenous protests.

Since taking office in 2017, Moreno faces its biggest crisis due to the millionaire loans that he contracted to relieve the heavy budget deficit wastes, debt and corruption of his predecessor's government, exalting Rafael Correa, isolated in Belgium with a demand for capture in his country.

Injured by the death of an indigenous leader during Wednesday's protests, Conaie has promised to "radicalize" its actions by blocking roads and taking public facilities. We saw it Friday afternoon with the presence of barricades in the streets and demonstrators climbed into public buildings. As indicated by the integrated security system of 911 ECU, route reductions were recorded in 17 of the 24 provinces.

Currently, indigenous people represent 25% of the 17.3 million Ecuadorians and they are the sector most punished by poverty. As most of them work in the field, the release of fuel prices, the value of transportation has greatly increased of your products, while they fear widespread inflation.

Meanwhile, Correa called for disobedience to the public force and the advancement of presidential elections, which should only take place in 2021. "He can not continue to repress his brothers, not protecting not the homeland but a government put an end to its own functions: betrayal, mediocrity and capitulation, "he said in a message broadcast on social networks.