Ecuador has declared the curfew and militarization of Quito

Before escalation of conflicts, the Ecuadorian president, Lenin Moreno, imposed Saturday, October 12 the curfew and the militarization of Quito and its surroundings, in the face of violent protests by indigenous peoples against the economic adjustments agreed with the IMF.

The measure bans the free movement of 2.7 million residents through this capital. "I immediately arranged for the joint command of the armed forces to take the necessary measures and operations," said the president in a brief message to the nation, alongside his vice, Otto Sonnenholznerand the Minister of Defense, Oswaldo vase.

Demonstrators in Ecuador close to dialogue and promise to radicalize protests

Incidents in Quito rose on Saturday after a group of protesters attacked the TV station's facilities Teleamazonas and the newspaper Trade. In the media, there was a hearth of fire.

The president has hardened in Quito the state of national exception that imposed itself on October 3 and during which he had mobilized the armed forces, with the aim of containing the social epidemic unleashed 11 days ago, announced the agency. AFP.

Covered in these faculties, which allow in principle restrict certain rights for 30 days, had already organized the night curfew around the public buildings of the capital.

The drastic measure followed announcement of the indigenous movement to accept the direct dialogue proposed by the president find a way out of the serious crisis, amidst new and increasingly violent sources of violence.

This Saturday, the protests led to the assault on the controller building, which was burned and looted by hooded protesters. The headquarters was wrapped in thick smoke.

Near there, around legislative AssemblyAboriginal protesters erected barricades with logs and wooden shields to confront police teargas, according to journalists from AFP.

The police force reinforced control in this region after the brief assault of the Congress by the demonstrators last Tuesday. Moreno follows the crisis of the port of Guayaquil, where he moved the seat of government after declaring the state of emergency.

A slap in the head: the role of the media in the demonstrations in Ecuador

Budding dialogue

In his brief message, Moreno thanked the Aboriginal decision to sit down and talk face to face, although he did not reveal when or where the talks would begin.

The President insisted, however, that will restore "order throughout Ecuador" and decreed the complete militarization of Quito as thousands of protesters were on the streets. The government left half an hour for Protestant Indians to focus on a coliseum and reception centers in universities.

Since the demonstrations broke out, they have Six civilians were killed and 2,100 were wounded and detained, according to the latest assessment of the Ombudsman's office.

In the midst of the upsurge of violence, the Confederation of Nationalities (Conaie) He added that he had finally decided to "participate" in a meeting with the president after "a process of community consultation".

On Friday, he said the proposal "lacked credibility" and insisted that it would only sit to discuss when the canceled decree would be repealed. It abolished fuel subsidies and increased the price of 123% of gasoline and diesel.

However, Conaie reconsidered its initial refusal and was even willing to discuss "the repeal or revision of the decree". Indigenous peoples have also rejected a first approach mentioned by the government at the request of the A and the Catholic Church. And they decided to radicalize their actions by blocking roads and taking facilities before the death of an indigenous leader.

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"Stop the violence"

Social discontent with its economic reforms has plunged into a spiral of chaos in Quito and interrupted the transport of oil – the largest source of foreign currency – by the country's main pipeline due to the occupation of wells in the Amazon.

In addition to removing subsidies, the measures include the reduction of the rights of public sector employees. "It is essential to stop the violence," Moreno said Friday after the management's call to radicalize the protest and pave the way for direct negotiation.

In power since 2017, the leader is facing his biggest crisis because of the economic adjustments he has imposed in exchange for loans of $ 4.2 billion who contracted with him MFIs alleviate the heavy budget deficit attributed to the waste, debt and corruption of the government of its predecessor and exalted Rafael Correa.

The indigenous people, who make up 25 percent of the 17.3 million Ecuadorians, are the most punished by poverty and work mainly in the countryside. With the release of fuel prices, they must pay more to transport their products while fearing widespread inflation.

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The attack against the Ecuadorian media

The demonstrators attacked the installations of Teleamazonas and the newspaper El Comercio in the midst of riots that erupted on Saturday in Quito and led the government to institute a curfew in the capital.

Teleamazonas has interrupted its programming to report the aggression. "Vandals burn installations", said the channel that is still on air, while El Comercio reported on Twitter that its headquarters had been attacked "by a group of strangers".

Vandals attacked the Teleamazonas facilities ► https://t.co/N2OOR6hchL

– Teleamazonas (@teleamazonasec) October 12, 2019

The indigenous movement, who is leading the protest against the government's economic adjustments, denied that his activists are involved in the actions that added to the assault of the controller building. "We stand out from the events in Comptroller and @teleamazonasec," he wrote on Twitter.

The canal expelled 25 workers and did not report any casualties. The attackers set fire to the car park and their images showed a destroyed vehicle.

"For about half an hour, we were attacked, they began to stoned, to force the doors, then to launch incendiary bombs," Milton Pérez, a journalist and television presenter, said on the air. El Comercio has not given more details about the attack on its headquarters south of the capital.

Both actions took place during a violent day of protests that began 11 days ago against the government.

ED / FeL