Ecuador Protests: Govt. Reaches Deal With Indigenous Leaders

    Image copyright: AFP [via Le Monde]

    The Facts

    • On Thurs. evening, thousands of indigenous protesters left the Ecuadorian capital of Quito after 18 days, following a Catholic church-brokered agreement between the government and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE).

    • Pres. Guillermo Lasso has agreed to make a 15-cent cut per gallon in petrol prices among other concessions, while the CONAIE vowed to end mobilizations for 90 days to allow the government to comply with its demands.


    The Spin

    Pro-establishment narrative

    The protests - which, ironically, have been costly to the Ecuadorian economy - were held under the pretext of calls for economic reforms, but in reality, they were an attempt to promote instability and force Lasso out of power.

    Establishment-critical narrative

    Demonstrators had been urging for dialogue while the government was focused on repressing Ecuadorian voices, even if it cost lives. This massacre could've been avoided if Pres. Lasso had been open to meeting the people's demands sooner.


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