(Quito) Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso on Tuesday suspended dialogue with indigenous leaders at the head of the movement against the high cost of living, after the death of a soldier in eastern Ecuador, suggesting a continuation of the showdown between the executive and the demonstrators.
Posted at 4:16 p.m.
A military convoy protecting tankers leaving a refinery was attacked at dawn by an armed group in the Amazonian part of the country, the army announced in the morning, reporting a soldier killed and twelve injured in this “terrorist act” committed with firearms and spears.
The conservative head of state reacted to this “criminal attack” in a short speech: “We will not sit down again to dialogue with Leonidas Iza who only defends his political interests and not those of his base”.
Leonidas Iza is the head of the powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie), spearheading protests to demand, in particular, a drop in fuel prices, which have paralyzed Ecuador for more than two weeks.
In addition to the soldier killed, five demonstrators died in violence with the security forces and more than 500 people, civilians or members of the security forces, were injured.
“Opportunist”
“The country has witnessed all the efforts we have made to establish a fruitful and sincere dialogue […]. To our indigenous brothers and sisters, you deserve better than an opportunistic leader who has deceived you,” President Lasso said.
“We are ready to respond to your requests […] But we are not going to negotiate with those who hold Ecuador hostage or those who attack our security forces and gamble with the health and lives of Ecuadorians,” he added.
“Only when there are legitimate representatives of all the peoples and nationalities of Ecuador, who seek real solutions and are open to real and frank dialogue, will we return to the dialogue”, he set as a condition.
La Conaie immediately reacted to the questioning of its leader Leonidas Iza, saying: “The government is breaking off the dialogue, confirming its authoritarianism, its lack of will”.
“We hold Guillermo Lasso responsible for the consequences of his warmongering policy […] Lasso does not break with Leonidas, he breaks with the people,” the organization thundered on Twitter.
That very morning, the government did not show up for the discussions begun the day before in Quito with indigenous representatives, including Mr. Iza, which are taking place in an annex of the great Catholic basilica in the capital.
” Provocation ”
Already seated at the negotiating table, Mr. Iza denounced at the microphone the “attacks” of the police which serve as a “pretext” to interrupt the discussions.
He posed as a condition for a resumption of negotiations “the immediate establishment of an independent commission to establish the facts and the responsibilities” in the events of the night, demanding that the government cease all “provocation”.
After more than two weeks of blockages and several episodes of violence, including two attempts to intrude protesters into the precincts of Parliament, indigenous representatives and the government delegation were nevertheless expected to move towards a resolution of the crisis on Tuesday.
As a sign of good will, the government reduced the price of gasoline and diesel on Sunday by 10 cents, but the natives consider this first reduction “insufficient”. He also ended Saturday the state of emergency declared a week earlier in six of the 24 provinces.
Quito, where the police say there are around ten thousand indigenous demonstrators – their number is estimated at some 14,000 across the country – is at the heart of the movement.
Spear or shield in hand, brandishing the Ecuadorian flag, groups of dozens of protesters circulated on Tuesday in the capital, around two universities and a cultural center serving as their base, as well as in the Basilica district. In the early afternoon, they forced businesses to lower the curtain.
Guillermo Lasso, in power since May 2021, is also threatened with dismissal. The majority but divided parliamentary opposition blames him for the “serious political crisis” that is shaking Ecuador.
The debate on a possible impeachment has resumed in Parliament. Once the debates are closed, the deputies will have 72 hours to vote. A majority of 92 votes out of 137 is necessary to obtain such an impeachment.
Past mobilizations of the indigenous movement caused the fall of three presidents between 1997 and 2005.