MONTEVIDEO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th October, 2019) The Ecuadoran parliament has suspended its activity following mass protests raging in the country, Homero Castanier, a lawmaker from the Creating Opportunities (CREO) party told Sputnik on Tuesday.
The rallies erupted on Thursday in response to new austerity measures, including ending decades-long fuel subsidies, which the government wants to implement to become eligible for a $4.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
"The National Assembly has suspended its activity; yesterday coordinators of various legislative bodies met with the assembly's president and vice-president and decided to suspend the activity as there were no guarantees allowing assemblymen and officials visit the parliament's building," Castanier said.
He noted that just a block away from the parliament is the Arbolito park where protesters tend to gather. Also, some protesters tried to force their way into the assembly, albeit unsuccessfully, on Monday.
"There is a possibility that the National Assembly will meet in another place, but the issue is that protests are ongoing in different districts which prevent us from going to an agreed meeting place," Castanier added.
Following the escalation of violence, Moreno accused foreign actors, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and former Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa of mounting an organized attempt to destabilize the situation in the country.
