Article author:
Reuters
Alexandra Valencia
Quito—A group of Ecuadorian opposition members are conservative after nearly two weeks of massive protests led by lower-demanding indigenous groups. Asking for the dismissal of President Guillermo Lasso Other lawmakers say they do not support his expulsion, but fuel and food prices.
Beginning on June 13, sometimes violent demonstrations killed at least six civilians and launched multiple attacks on security forces.
Protests have exacerbated the already hostile relationship between Lasso and Parliament. Parliamentarians blocked his major economic proposal as they struggled to contain the heightened violence blaming drug gangs.
Members of the opposition UNES movement, who pledge allegiance to former left-wing President Rafael Correa, called on Twitter to move forward with the election (not scheduled until 2025).
The Constitution allows lawmakers to dismiss the president and call for elections in the event of a political crisis or public unrest.
"The country can no longer accept it," said Younes Rep. Faust Jarin. Jarin formally requested the legislature to convene a debate on the removal process. "Dialogue is being destroyed in every way by violence."
Members of other parties will individually support the effort, Jarin said.
Lasso's dismissal requires the support of 92 of the 137 members of Parliament. Lasso can also dissolve the legislature and demand an election.
The government criticized UNES's move, arguing that it was ready to make significant concessions through legislation and discuss the issue. Members of the other three parties, including Lasso, refused to expel Lasso and said they supported dialogue between the government and indigenous groups.
STALLED RAPPROCHEMENT
Despite government concessions, there were few signs of reconciliation between civil servants and protesters led by the indigenous group CONAIE.
Indigenous leaders are taking action in six states with the withdrawal of security forces before discussing a list of ten indigenous demands, such as lower fuel prices and oil outages. Requested the end of special measures. Mining development.
Lasso has announced subsidized fertilizers, bank debt forgiveness, and budget increases for health and education. On Thursday, security forces withdrew from the cultural institution and made it available to protesters.
However, tensions regained after a fierce all-night conflict and an isolated incident on Friday afternoon, and CONAIE leader Leonidas Iza said he supported an attempt to remove the lasso.
CONAIE met on Friday to consider the government's response to government demands.
Lasso tried to undermine Isa's credibility in a video broadcast on social media on Friday afternoon.
"Mr. Isa's real intention is to overthrow the government," Lasso said. "National police and the military will use gradual use of power to take the necessary steps to defend under the law."
Security forces Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo told journalists that he had not turned the demonstrators down, but a criminal armed with firearms infiltrating the march.
He said the violence would be filled with rubber bullets. Security forces have already deployed tear gas on Friday.
Officials said 17 military personnel were injured and three vehicles were burned when a military convoy trying to help a truck driver carrying food and medicine to the capital Quito was attacked. Said.
Kito residents said the domestic gas supply was in short supply, as was the product in supermarkets.
The Interior Ministry confirmed the deaths of four people during the protest, and the Ministry of Health said two people were killed in an ambulance delayed by the road block. (Report by Alexandra Valencia, written by Julia Symmes Cobb, edited by Rosalba O’Brien and Grant McCool)
