Ecuador’s president cuts fuel prices due to protests | Abroad

On Sunday, the Energy Department warned that oil production had already fallen by 50 percent from 520,000 barrels before the demonstrations began. If this situation continues, oil production will be suspended in less than 48 hours. Sabotage, occupation of oil fields and road closures prevent the transportation of equipment and diesel needed to continue production.”

Ecuador has large oil reserves, mainly in the Amazon provinces. Oil is the country’s main export product. Ecuador is struggling with high inflation, high unemployment and poverty that has risen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2020, fuel prices have risen sharply. In the case of diesel, it has almost doubled.

Indigenous Ecuadoreans began the proceedings, but students, workers, and others also joined in time. The group grew to about 14,000 protesters. One of the demands of Kony, an influential coalition of indigenous groups that called for the protest, was that the government lower fuel prices. Whether the 10 per cent announced by Laso is sufficient for Kunai is questionable.

A human rights group also said five people were killed in clashes between protesters and police. Various sources talk about about 500 wounded civilians, as well as police officers and soldiers.

Ecuador’s parliament is now debating whether to initiate impeachment proceedings for the president. So far, the opposition has not been able to find sufficient support for this.