Ecuador: Clashes Between Police and Indigenous Demonstrators Erupt in the Country's Capital

Clashes between the police and Indigenous demonstrators in Ecuador occurred in the country's capital, Quito, on Tuesday, in the light of the protests driven by economic and social policies.

Ecuador's Defense Minister, Luis Lara, warned that the South American country's democracy was at risk as demonstrators turned to infrastructures and different methods of venting their frustrations.

According to DW, violence broke out when 500 demonstrators attempted to block a key road in Quito by burning tree branches. The police tried to break out of the crowd by firing tear gas into the protesters.

The protesters then regrouped and marched towards the Culture Center of Ecuador, which is used as the police base. The said building was originally used as the gathering point of Indigenous demonstrators to launch their protests.

Law enforcement also threw tear gas into the group to break out of the crowd, but some of the demonstrators fought back by throwing stones at the officers.

The police also reportedly confiscated shields and spears carried by the protesters.

On Tuesday morning, demonstrators also reportedly punctured the wheels of buses, prompting passengers to walk.

Local media also showed damages to Ecuador's prosecutor's office, which is next to Salesiana University, the focal point of the protests.

Officials from the prosecutor's office requested the help of law enforcement and the military to move files with sensitive information to a safe location so that investigations would not be affected by the insurgence.

"These actions go beyond a citizen protest; this amounts to a deliberate effort to use violence to threaten democracy, endanger institutions," Ecuador's defense minister underscored.

Ecuador Military Pledges to Stop Indigenous Protests

Meanwhile, Ecuador's armed forces on Tuesday vowed to stop the Indigenous protests, which they also claimed to be damaging the country's democracy, per Reuters.

Police Commander Fausto Salinas noted that security forces confiscated cans of diesel and gasoline and sharp weapons from the demonstrators.

Salinas also added that at least 80 people had been arrested while more than 100 members of the security forces were injured because of the protests.

Ecuador Indigenous Protests

The recent protests in Ecuador began eight days earlier when the Indigenous Nationalities Confederation called for an indefinite strike over their demands, including cutting the fuel prices, price control on agricultural products, and increasing the budget for education.

Reports noted that Indigenous communities were particularly affected by the inflation, unemployment, and economic hardships in the country.

Last week, Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency in three provinces in response to the protests, which sometimes are violent.

"I am committed to defending our capital and our country," Lasso said on the television.

A group composed of several institutions, including the United Nations, Catholic Church, and Universities, called on Ecuador's government and the Indigenous protesters for an agreement. The government accepted the call, but the Indigenous demonstrators have not yet responded.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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