AMERICA/ECUADOR - Bishops willing to collaborate to resolve current social tensions

Quito (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Ecuador (ECE) have publicly offered to "collaborate in finding solutions regarding the tensions currently being faced by Ecuadorian society": this is what is said in a statement sent to Fides. The text of the ECE, dated October 7th, underlines: "We are open to any proposal that the parties decide is convenient and right". The Bishops also reiterated what was said on October 4th: "We are for a peaceful and respectful dialogue to allow us to continue working for justice and solidarity that our people expect from government authorities and from all social and political actors" (see Fides, 7/10/2019).
Meanwhile, the indigenous demonstrators who arrived in the capital, Quito, stormed the building of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Ecuador and shouted "Go away Moreno!", after having demolished the security gates that surrounded the building. The Parliament building is located near a park where yesterday, Tuesday 8 October, some 10,000 indigenous groups were concentrated on the eve of a march to call for the repeal of recent economic measures or the resignation of President Lenin Moreno .
Last night the government issued a decree that limits the freedom of movement and movement of citizens in the areas surrounding the public institutions and strategic structures of the country; to which the indigenous movement responded by confirming that it will maintain national mobilization.
Ecuador is experiencing a wave of protests since last week, following the announcement of the cancellation of the government subsidy for gasoline, a decision that president Lenín Moreno has adopted to increase state revenues and thus meet the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This institution, like other international organizations, has recently granted the country a credit line of over 10,000 million dollars.
Two elements increase the current social tension in Ecuador: the president’s television speech who, in a message to the Ecuadorian people, said he "does not intend to go back with his economic decisions", moreover the country is divided politically in two. The government is opposed in fact by the strong opposition of the group of former President Rafael Vicente Correa and his supporters, together with the Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas of Ecuador (Conaie), which in the history of this country has been the protagonist of real political changes in the government. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 9/10/2019)

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