- Title: Ecuador convulsed by protests, clashes, roadblocks
- Date: 7th October 2019
- Summary: QUITO, ECUADOR (OCTOBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS PROFANITY*** POLICE IN FOREGROUND, PROTESTERS IN BACKGROUND, TEAR GAS SEEN WAFTING PROTESTERS FACING OFF WITH POLICE, MOLOTOV COCKTAIL SEEN ON ROAD POLICE ON MOTORCYCLE PURSUING PROTESTERS WITH FLAMING ROADBLOCK ON STREET VARIOUS, PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS AT POLICE TEAR GAS CANISTER ON STREET POLICE ON HORSEBACK WITH CROWD OF PROTESTERS IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS, PROTESTERS THROWING BOTTLES, ROCKS PROTESTERS ON STREET PROTESTERS THROWING ITEMS PROTESTERS WALK DOWN STREET, WAVE ECUADOREAN FLAG PROTESTERS ARGUING WITH POLICE CALDERON, ECUADOR (OCTOBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, PROTESTERS BLOCKING HIGHWAY, FACING OFF WITH MILITARY PROTESTERS BY BURNING ROADBLOCK PROTESTERS CHANTING ROADBLOCK PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ECUADOREAN PROTESTER, ANDRES KILUMBA, SAYING: "They take from us, the poor, they stick their hands in our pockets and they raise gas (prices) and diesel. You know we're poor, we're those who work everyday, who farm. We need to work and it hurts us. They forgive the rich and take from the poor. That's why we're here, to defend what is ours, nothing more." PEOPLE CHANTING (Spanish) "THE PEOPLE UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED" VARIOUS, PEOPLE CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ECUADOREAN PROTESTER, OSCAR GUIALDA, SAYING: "This issue has caused discomfort in the whole country, not just to those of us who are drivers. They've raised the prices on us, the price of fuel products, mining materials, so if we (drivers) are going to deliver things to people, logically, we have to raise prices. And, the people don't like that either, that prices go up. So, in the end, those who suffer are the people." BURNING ROADBLOCKS ON HIGHWAY VARIOUS, PEOPLE AT ROADBLOCK VARIOUS, PROTESTERS AND MILITARY ON HIGHWAY
- Embargoed: 21st October 2019 22:43
- Keywords: Ecuador tear gas clash fuel Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno diesel police gas roadblocks hike price protest
- Location: QUITO & CALDERON, ECUADOR
- City: QUITO & CALDERON, ECUADOR
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001B03NVWN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS NOTE: PROFANITY OVERHEARD IN SHOT 7, QUALITY AS INCOMING
Violent clashes broke out in Quito, Ecuador between protesters and police on Monday (October 7) even as indigenous protesters paralyzed roads around Ecuador and blocked a main highway into the capital in a fifth day of action against government austerity measures that have sparked the worst unrest in years, resulting in 477 arrests.
The umbrella indigenous organization CONAIE said demonstrations would continue until President Lenin Moreno withdraws last week's measure to eliminate fuel subsidies.
Moreno, 66, who has abandoned his predecessor and one-time mentor Rafael Correa's leftist policies, says he will neither tolerate disorder nor overturn the fuel price hike that is part of a liberal economic reform package.
Indigenous and workers' movements again blocked roads on Monday, from the Andean highlands to the Pacific coast, with stones, tires and burning branches.
The northern entry to Quito was paralyzed.
Police erected barricades around the presidential palace, closing off the downtown area while Moreno presided over a government security council meeting to assess the crisis.
As well as ending fuel subsidies, the government is trimming the state work force and planning some privatizations. Moreno says the fuel subsidies, in place for four decades, had distorted the economy and cost $60 billion.
(Production: Nacho Munoz, Alberto Fajardo, Carlos Garcia Rawlins) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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