Ecuadorians burn tires, block Pan-American highway to demand lower taxes along border
Record ID:
1434590
Ecuadorians burn tires, block Pan-American highway to demand lower taxes along border
- Title: Ecuadorians burn tires, block Pan-American highway to demand lower taxes along border
- Date: 1st October 2019
- Summary: INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE OF RUMICHACA, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE CLOSED TREES BLOCKING HIGHWAY ROCKS ON HIGHWAY TUFINO, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TREE TRUNKS BLOCKING HIGHWAY / RESIDENTS STANDING BY MAN HOLDING STICK WITH NAILS PROTESTERS LAUGHING WHILE HE SHARPENS NAIL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, EDWIN HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "We need to take extreme measures where the economy is already paralyzed, and then the impact is not only for the state, it is for the entire society. We hope that the government will be made aware and understand that we are town people, we are not foreigners, we are his people. Because we chose him (Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno), then he cannot let us down as voters. Because all of us contribute to a state and a nation. Long live the Carchi!" MASCARRILLA, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 28, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HEAVY MACHINERY, ROCKS ON PAN-AMERICAN HIGHWAY MAN PUSHING CART WITH AVOCADOS ON HIGHWAY MEN LOADING AVOCADOS ON TO VAN TO SELL THEM AT LOCAL MARKETS TULCAN, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) SMALL BONFIRE PROTESTERS IN PARK TULCAN, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) PROTESTERS CHANTING: (Spanish) "THEY PLAY WITH OUR LIVES AND THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOTHING" WOMAN SHOUTING: (Spanish) "DOWN WITH LENIN" TUFINO, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARLON PASPUEZAN, WHO WORKS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SAYING: "God forbid, and those rumored measures (Moreno studying adjustments requested by the IMF for a new disbursement) don't come true. I think that, no later than Wednesday, the whole of Ecuador will be up in arms."
- Embargoed: 15th October 2019 07:15
- Keywords: Pan-American highway blocked highway protesters Ecuador
- Location: INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE OF RUMICHACA / TUFINO / MASCARRILLA, TULCAN, ECUADOR
- City: INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE OF RUMICHACA / TUFINO / MASCARRILLA, TULCAN, ECUADOR
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZ9MEKN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters demanding taxes to be reduced for residents living along border areas blocked about 100 km (62 miles) of the Pan-American Highway, from the international Rumichaca bridge to the Carchi province in Ecuador.
The measure, which began a week ago, has interrupted commercial exchange of products between Ecuador and Colombia.
Ecuador's Interior Ministry estimates some two million dollars are being lost every day.
In February, Ecuador reached a $4.2 billion staff-level financing deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the Andean country grapples with a large fiscal deficit and heavy external debt.
The OPEC nation's debt grew under former leftist President Rafael Correa. Moreno earned Correa's support during the 2017 election campaign, but has implemented more market-friendly economic policies since taking office.
At the time in Feb., Moreno had said the maturities on the loans extended "up to 30 years" and that the interest rates "on average" did not exceed 5 percent.
Moreno's government is now studying adjustments requested by the IMF for a new disbursement.
(Production: Cristina Munoz, Geraldine Downer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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