- Title: Ecuador's Moreno decries protests as 'coup attempt'
- Date: 8th October 2019
- Summary: QUITO, ECUADOR (OCTOBER 07, 2019) (REUTERS) 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
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2019 04:52
- Keywords: Ecuador protests Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno violence clashes nation address economic measures
- Location: QUITO & GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR
- City: QUITO & GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA005B08JQDJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno accused opponents of attempting a coup on Monday (October 07) as protesters marched into the capital of Quito in a fifth day of action against austerity measures that have sparked the worst unrest in years.
In a defiant national television address on Monday evening, Moreno said he would not back down on the fuel price hike in the face of what he called a "destabilization plan" orchestrated by former president Rafael Correa and leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
"They are behind this coup attempt, and they are using and instrumentalizing some indigenous sectors," Moreno said, flanked by military officials and Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner. He added that he had temporarily moved government operations to the southern city of Guayaquil, the financial capital.
"What has happened here in recent days is not a manifestation of social discontent in protest of a government decision. No, the lootings, vandalism and violence show there is an organized political motive here to destabilize the government."
Moreno noted that Correa had recently traveled to Caracas and met with Maduro, but did not provide further evidence that Maduro was behind the protests.
Protests erupted in the Andean nation last week when Moreno, who abandoned his predecessor and one-time mentor Correa's leftist policies upon taking office in 2017, announced a measure to eliminate fuel subsidies to reduce the country's fiscal deficit.
Umbrella indigenous organization CONAIE said demonstrations would continue until Moreno withdraws the measure. The mobilization would coincide with a national strike planned for Wednesday (October 09).
(Production: Cristina Munoz, Nacho Munoz, Carlos Garcia Rawlins) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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