CONAIE's Leonidas Iza talking during the signing of the agreement in Quito, June 30, 2022. Photo: EFE.
The indigenous movement of Ecuador, lead by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), and the government of Guillermo Lasso, signed an agreement on Thursday, June 30, to end the national strike which has been going on in the country for more than two weeks and has left six dead.
This agreement, which the Lasso government has called the Peace Act, includes the demands presented by the indigenous movement.
✍️El ministro @panchojimenezs en representaciĂłn del Presidente @LassoGuillermo, firma el “Acta de Paz” con la que se da fin al paro y se hace un llamado por la convivencia pacĂfica, el orden pĂşblico, el desarrollo econĂłmico del paĂs y la reconciliaciĂłn nacional. pic.twitter.com/sGyi2YbYxF
— Ministerio de Gobierno Ecuador (@MinGobiernoEc) June 30, 2022
On Twitter, President Lasso claimed that “we have achieved the supreme value to which we all aspire: peace in our country.”
Hemos alcanzado el valor supremo al que todos aspiramos: paz en nuestro paĂs.
TerminĂł el paro.
Ahora empezamos juntos la tarea de transformar esta paz en progreso, bienestar, y oportunidades para todos.
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) June 30, 2022
The agreement came just hours after the government’s announcement to resume talks.
The agreements were announced at a ceremony at the headquarters of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, which acted as mediator between the two parties so that they could resume the dialogue process which had begun on Monday but has been disrupted by the Government on Tuesday after the death of a soldier in a crash between demonstrators and repressive security forces.
The Lasso government issued four decrees to meet the demands of the indigenous movement: Decree 452, on price control operations; Decree 454, on declaring an emergency in the health sector; Decree 456 on compensatory measures for the population; and Decree 462, with which the price of fuel is reduced.
With regard to fuel, it was agreed that 85-octane gasoline will cost $2.40 per gallon (3.78 liters) and diesel $1.75, despite the fact that the indigenous movement’s demand was that they be reduced to $2.10 and $1.50, respectively, which are similar prices to those of this time last year.
El Gobierno emitiĂł 4 decretos para atender las demandas del movimiento indĂgena:
▶️Dec.452, operativos de control de precios
▶️Dec.454, declarar en emergencia al sector salud
▶️Dec. 456, medidas compensatorias para la población
▶️Dec.462 que reduce el precio de los combustibles pic.twitter.com/NDkwItmfb8— Ministerio de Gobierno Ecuador (@MinGobiernoEc) June 30, 2022
“For the national reconciliation of Ecuador”
Ecuadorian Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez said that, with the signing of this agreement, the first step towards national reconciliation in the country had been taken.
“Today there are no individual winners or losers, the only winner must be Ecuador,” he remarked during the event. “These June days have been a lesson for all. We know that we have a country with many fractures, and that is what this government has to solve.”
RELATED CONTENT: Ecuador: Fuel Price Reduction Insufficient, Says CONAIE
#ATENCION
Logrando resultados y avances en los temas prioritarios de la agenda nacional el Movimiento IndĂgena oficialmente da por LEVANTADO la primera etapa del #ParoNacionalEcuador, en 90 dĂas se evaluará el cumplimiento de los acuerdos y compromisos firmados en el acta. pic.twitter.com/7K5enU4Vjr— CONAIE (@CONAIE_Ecuador) June 30, 2022
“We cannot allow violence to take over Ecuador and our differences to deepen,” he added. “Today is not the end, it is the first day of this great dream for national reconciliation.”
For its part, the president of CONAIE, Leonidas Iza, asserted that a period of 90 days will be given to evaluate compliance with the agreements and commitments that were signed.
La unidad de los pueblos se hace presente, la lucha sigue y esa es la determinación de la conciencia colectiva. Por millones volveremos 🇪🇨 #SomosConaie pic.twitter.com/YX7byvq1bB
— CONAIE (@CONAIE_Ecuador) July 1, 2022
Late on Thursday night, Lenidas Iza addressed protesters in Quito, highlighting that the indigenous movement will be vigilant of the actions of the government and its fulfillment of the agreement.
Interestingly, despite their current opposition to Lasso’s government, by failing to endorse Lasso’s opponent AndrĂ©s Arauz in Ecuador’s 2021 presidential elections, CONAIE’s political arm, Pachakutik, played a key role in Lasso’s victory.
(Ăšltimas Noticias) by Ariadne Eljuri, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/KW
