- Title: Protesters clash with police in Quito as unrest steps up
- Date: 8th October 2019
- Summary: QUITO, ECUADOR (OCTOBER 8, 2019) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE FOLLOWING BEHIND ANTI-RIOT VEHICLE, TRYING TO ADVANCE ON PROTESTERS ANTI-RIOT POLICE FOLLOWING BEHIND ANTI-RIOT VEHICLE, BEGIN SHOOTING TOWARDS PROTESTERS, SMOKE AND TEAR GAS RISING MOUNTED POLICE WATCHING FROM CLOSER TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BLACK SMOKE BILLOWING, ANTI-RIOT POLICE RETREATING, ANTI-RIOT VEHICLE REVERSING COURSE GENERAL VIEW OF MOUNTED POLICE WATCHING VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE STANDING BEHIND ANTI-RIOT VEHICLE, FACING OFF WITH PROTESTERS WHO ARE THROWING ROCKS FROM THE OTHER SIDE GENERAL VIEW OF SCENE, DEBRIS ON FIRE, PROTESTER RUNNING ACROSS STREET
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2019 23:20
- Keywords: Ecuador crisis fuel protests clashes
- Location: QUITO, ECUADOR
- City: QUITO, ECUADOR
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001B08O2TJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: LIVE U QUALITY. PLEASE MONITOR FOR UPDATES
Ecuador sought mediation from the United Nations or Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday (October 8) after six days of anti-austerity protests that have pushed President Lenin Moreno's government out of Quito and brought hundreds of arrests.
Following tactics that have toppled past governments, thousands of indigenous demonstrators flooded the highland capital. Some burst through security cordons to briefly enter the National Assembly, waving flags, pumping their fists and chanting: "We are the people!"
Elsewhere in Quito and other flashpoints, masked and stick-wielding protesters again hurled stones and battled with security forces, who responded with tear gas.
Facing the biggest challenge yet to his 2-1/2-year rule, President Lenin Moreno has declared a state of emergency and relocated government operations to the coastal city of Guayaquil where there has been less trouble.
Protests erupted last Thursday when the government cut fuel subsidies as part of a package of economic reforms, in keeping with a $4.2 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.
Indigenous groups and others have been barricading roads with burning tires, rocks and branches, while police have deployed armored vehicles and water cannon.
Nearly 600 people have been arrested, authorities say, including a legislator who supports Moreno's predecessor Rafael Correa.
(Production: Alberto Fajardo, Guillermo Garcia) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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