Indigenous suffocation in Ecuador

In recent memory of social mobilizations, Ecuador is the country where in 2019 the flame of a protest against the then president, Lenín Moreno, which spread throughout Latin America, was lit.

Today Ecuador is once again experiencing scenes of maximum tension, with street violence and direct confrontations between police and protesters.

The indigenous marches that have shaken the country for more than a week have led the president, Guillermo Lasso, to establish a state of emergency first in three provinces and from Monday in another six to contain roadblocks.

The effect has been the opposite of what he was looking for while he tries to reach a negotiation with the indigenous groups that are heading to Quito or have already arrived in the capital.

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) protests the economic scarcity and pressures the Lasso government to take measures to alleviate the high prices of food and fuel that have impoverished the already poorest layers of Ecuador.

The Executive's response was, at first, contradictory.

On the one hand, it offered vague measures to bring positions closer together while tightening repression through a state of emergency and a curfew.

This Monday he was more precise with his proposals in a public letter, which includes aid to deal with prices, unemployment and debts.

As is often the case, particularly in Ecuador, the protesters are largely right, but exasperation cannot lead to unleashing violence and practically paralyzing the country for more than a week.

Lasso not only faces demonstrations due to social unrest.

Behind it is a climate of agitation promoted by the political arm of the indigenous people, but above all by supporters in the shadows of Rafael Correa.

That is the most complicated part to manage for the Government, which does not want its political rivals to gain space, but at the same time it must meet the social demands not only of the indigenous people, but of the entire population.

The protests culminate months of insipid management by Lasso.

No far-reaching reform has been developed, despite having increased the social subsidy or subsidizing the most common fertilizer in the country.

Insecurity is growing and so is the anger of the population at the escalation of oil prices in a producing country.

“Democracy or chaos” has been Lasso's motto but the protests are well founded.

The scenario that Ecuador is experiencing today is a harsh wake-up call to all the governments of the region in the face of an increase in the cost of living and the deepening of strong inequalities.

The negotiation demanded by both the United Nations and the EU is the only way out so as not to aggravate the conflict and end the violence that has already caused one death and dozens of injuries.