MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2019) UN representative in Ecuador Arnaud Peral, who mediated the talks between country's President Lenin Moreno and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), said that the parties had agreed to stop mass protests, which are raging across the Latin American nation.
"The dialogue results in the establishment of a new decree that revokes the executive order 883 [on removing fuel subsidies]. For these purposes, a commission - that will include members of the indigenous movement, participants of this dialogue and government officials - will be created. The agreement stops mobilization [of indigenous people] as well as other emergency measures across the country," Peral said, as quoted by the Ecuadorian presidential press service.
CONAIE head Jaime Vargas focused on human rights violations, committed by law enforcement officers during the protests, and called for resignation of the defense and interior ministers.
Mass protests erupted in Ecuador in early October as thousands rallied across the country against the government's economic reforms, particularly, the decision to end decades-long fuel subsidies for people. According to Moreno, Ecuador could no longer afford them and the cuts could help the country save some $2.27 billion a year. Additionally, the abolition of fuel subsidies was part of the Ecuadorian government's deal with the International Monetary Fund to be eligible for a $4.2 billion loan.
