"We have been told that they will destroy Quito. So don’t come to destroy the Amazon"an indigenous leader responded
The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, has promised that will defend the capital, Quitobefore the intention of the indigenous organizations to march on the city in the framework of the national strike, an indefinite strike called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) that adds its eighth day this Monday.
"We can’t allow that a few violent prevent millions of Ecuadorians from working. We are not going to allow people to face off against people"has underlined. "I am here to defend Quito, every family in the capital and the country"Lasso has riveted in a speech addressed to the nation on television.
The indigenous have responded to the Government that there is a double standard in the fear of an alleged attack on the city. "We have been told that they will destroy Quito. So don’t come to destroy the Amazon"said the president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE), Marlon Vargas, in statements collected by the Ecuadorian newspaper ‘El Comercio’.
Lasso has done this Monday a call for dialoguealthough he has refused concessions: "democracy or chaos". As a result of the strike there are about 80 road sections blocked by protests.
The president has assured that with his proposals on Saturday he responded to CONAIE’s demands: emergency declaration in the health system, the announcement to double the budget for intercultural education, the increase in the human development bonus, the forgiveness of debts, credits for the field and subsidy to urea, among other measures.
"We are attending to legitimate citizen demands", has raised, for which he regretted that, despite these concessions, the response is more violence and new threats to attack Quito.
However, for Lasso those who lead the protests do not want peace. "They want chaos, they want to throw out the president, I am here, I am not going to escape… democracy or chaos, that is the great battle"he has insisted, while he has defended, he has always been open to dialogue, listening to the needs of Ecuadorians, especially the most vulnerable.
"We all want dialogue, except a few violent ones. I call for peace. We have to sit down at a table, and together find solutions for each of the legitimate needs of Ecuadorians"he has argued.
Lasso has decreed a state of emergency in three provinces –Pichincha, Cotopaxi and Imbabura–, but this Monday the National Assembly is meeting to repeal the decree.
