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The smoke of the tear gas mixes with that of makeshift fires. This is one of the images of the marches that arrived in Quito on Tuesday in various parts of Ecuador. On the one hand, the security forces and, on the other hand, thousands of protesters who ask the President, Lenín Moreno, to withdraw the latest economic adjustments or leave. In the center of the capital or near the National Assembly, in the so-called Arbolito Park, indigenous leaders declare themselves ready to radicalize the demonstration.
Their communities have been organizing mobilizations for a week since the announcement of a package of measures to increase gas prices by 50 cents per gallon (almost four liters). On Thursday, after the executive had proposed a program of dialogue, a concentration of groups much lower than the previous day detained eight police officers and nearly 30 journalists at the House of Culture, which the authorities described as # 39; "kidnapping." A few hours later, however, they were released. The demonstrations left several hundred detainees.
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) is seeking to increase pressure. Wednesday's national strike developed peacefully until the situation rushed and violent clashes between the police and groups of protesters took place. The mediator confirmed the death of the leader Inocencio Tucumbi during the march, without detailing the circumstances.
"We have lived through days of great turmoil, we have been surprised by our ability to struggle and resist and we have shown the world that the indigenous movement and the Ecuadorian people are only a fist and the place that the History has given us. We shook to power. Our saying is: it will not stop until the IMF leaves Ecuador, "says an organization statement signed by its president, Jaime Vargas, who is responsible for events. The reference to the International Monetary Fund concerns a $ 4.2 billion loan [3.816 millones de euros] agreed in February in exchange for structural reforms. The increase in the price of fuel should translate into a saving of 1.4 billion a year.
In Ecuador, according to June data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census, more than 1.4 million indigenous live, or just over 8% of the country's total population. These are rural communities particularly affected by misery. "We want the government to leave the region," said 29-year-old José Jacho, who traveled to Quito with his family in Cotopaxi province, in the center of the country. "We are tired, with the fuel, everything increases, as well as the seeds of the fertilizer. That's why we organize these stops, "he says.
In addition to the real and visible monitoring of these protests, tens of thousands of people, including students, trade unionists and activists, indigenous peoples have been a decisive player in the political balances of Ecuador. Two decades ago, Presidents Abdalá Bucaram and Jamil Mahuad were decisive in the autumn. The last victim was Lucio Gutiérrez in 2005. Two years later, Rafael Correa came to power. He also clashed with Indians in the Amazonian province of Morona Santiago in the wake of a mining conflict. The government then accused some leaders of the Shuar people of terrorism and called them "paramilitary", although it is rejoicing today at demonstrations against Moreno.
Everything now depends on the ability of the government to negotiate and the willingness of the demonstrators to dialogue, which partly supports this exit. "It's good to act, but not right now. We have tractors, fuel is the bread of the day for us, so we have to go to Carondelet [sede del Gobierno] to speak, "says Ezequiel Gómez, 40, of the Andean Angochagua parish.
The executive proposed measures to "offset the effects of the end of the subsidy on fuels". Among them, restructure the debts of organizations that are not up to date in the payments of financing their land or finance agricultural insurance. For the moment, an insufficient proposal for the protesters.
Two men sitting in the caravan of a pickup truck complain in unison. "It's the future of our children," says 28-year-old Willy Díaz, who claims to work "in transportation." "The president does not realize that transport is increasing for our children, for basic necessities," says 52-year-old Terce.
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