Protests in Ecuador Humble the Government of Lenín Moreno

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From October 4 to October 13, 2019, indigenous groups from communities in the Amazon and the Andes led demonstrations demanding that Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno reinstate fuel subsidies he had slashed at the behest of the International Monetary Fund. They were joined by unionized workers and students in a series of major protests that often turned violent, leaving several people dead, including an indigenous leader. The Moreno administration had initially taken a hard line, declaring a state of emergency, but found itself under increasingly intense domestic and international pressure. Just after 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 13, Moreno announced an agreement with protesters to withdraw the IMF-backed package known as Decree 883 that included a sharp rise in fuel prices. Indigenous leaders, in turn, called on their followers to end the protests and street blockades. Commentators around the region explored the drama’s significance at considerable length.

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