Ecuador Triumphs after 18 Days of Strikes- People Power
After 18 days of national strikes and protests and civilian lives lost, Ecuador triumphs. The Ecuadorian people didn’t just protest and strike for fuel prices to go down, they stood up to Austerity, IMF, and they protested to protect the rainforest and won for the Amazon rainforest to be protected and for the oil companies to stop expansion of exploiting the Amazon for oil and mining.This is a historic win for Ecuador, in the face of the government’s proposals to double oil drilling in the rain forest, this arose after the Waorani demanded renegotiations with that the national government and the oil company occupying their territory, it is their legal right under the Ecuadorian Indigenous Rights act to demand the oil companies to cease activities in Block 14 of the Amazon territory.
However, what doesn’t make sense is the current crisis Ecuador is in the midst of when Crude oil reserves of Ecuador rose by ++4.82 % from 456.00 thousand barrels per day in early 2022 ++ to ++478.00 thousand barrels per day more recently ++. Yet this doesn’t reflect in the current economic climate and struggle of the Ecuadorian people, the revenue from oil production isn’t being invested back into the country’s infrastructure or for much needed subsidies to support the people, its going into the pockets of oil companies, Investment bankers and politicians. Since the 49.20 % slump in 2021, crude oil reserves soared by 94.06 % in 2022. Moreover, there are plans to increase output by twice the amount to exceed 800,000 barrels per day in the next five years. Read more here on oil and mining interests from China and US in Ecuador
”For Peace, for Unity and Social Justice, the signing of the agreement is developed as a triumph of the struggle of the Peoples and Nationalities of Ecuador, a benefit that is close to 1,000,000 million dollars for the least disadvantaged sector of the country”:
Reform of the CTEA so that Amazonian nationalities have access to the common fund
• Fuel prices are reduced by $0.15 each gallon of Diesel, Extra and Ecopaís.
Having repealed the Decree 95 means that no more oil wells will be exploded in the Amazon. The territories and collective rights of indigenous peoples will be protected. Let us remember that there is an oil spill every day in the Amazon, with no comprehensive state repair. The Decree 95 sought to double the production of oil, this is no longer in effect, thus protecting the rainforests of the Ecuadorian Amazon, a victory for the planet and humanity, at this moment when we are all talking about the importance of fighting environmental destruction and climate change.
Additionally work will be done on targeting policies for vulnerable sectors.
• Decree No. 95 on hydrocarbons is repealed (no expansion of oil exploitation in the Amazon)
• Decree No. 151, which contains the action plan for the mining sector (No mining exploitation in collective indigenous territories of the Amazon), is reformed.
• Also: increase to USD 55 of the Human Development Bonus, doubling the budget for Intercultural Bilingual Education, declaration of emergency to the health sector, forgiveness of debts of up to USD 3,000 in BanEcuador, urea subsidy, price control.- A dialogue table will be installed, with a defined methodology, in the next 90 days.
Source-Pastaza Kikin Kichwa Runakuna –
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