I emigrated to Ecuador over five years ago and from my perspective here in Cuenca, the entire country is at a standstill as very little traffic is on any roads as everyone waits to see what new event each day will bring. Last week at this time, everything was normal; until, Ecuadorian president announced a sudden implementation of austerity measures to fulfill requirement of the IMF. Total removal of gas subsidies meant that diesel price doubled immediately, but the thing is, every product and food is transported around the country by diesel trucks. Food prices also immediately went up as it is more expensive for everyone to move goods and perform services.
This isn't about socialism or capitalism as much as it is about sovereignty. Ecuador is a major oil producer, but IMF stipulations require that such a national resource can no longer only benefit Ecuadorians, it must be sold locally at international market rates. The national minimum wage is barely $400 a month and such a huge rise in the price of daily life will be absolutely crippling to the millions of indigenous across the countryside. This is why they've banded together in a national uprising of indigenous peoples and they marched to Quito to demand new elections.
Moreno declared a "state of exception" in the country, which effectively means the suspension of all rights and martial law. There have been hundreds arrested and there are dozens of videos of national police forces indiscriminately beating people, including women and children, as they pass through areas in random displays of force.
The 'state of exception' also includes the total control of information on the TV channels. There are now compilations of all the TV interviewers walking away from people they are interviewing if they say anything negative about Moreno.
The official government story and the angle they are playing on the local news is that all of this is being financed by the last president and a conspiracy involving Venezuela. They are censoring any news about police abuse in the streets and trying to portray the popular uprising as nothing but mercenaries, thieves and looters. Please help get the news out to the International press by boosting and amplifying #ParoNacionalEcuador #ElParoNoPara #ElParoSigue #NoAlPaquetazo #SOSEcuador.
