Violent Protests in Ecuador Leave Thirteen Soldiers Injured
(MENAFN) In northern Ecuador’s Otavalo, escalating protests against President Daniel Noboa’s diesel price hike turned violent, resulting in 13 soldiers sustaining injuries during confrontations with demonstrators.
The Armed Forces of Ecuador reported that the soldiers were attacked during road blockades by groups wielding “Molotov cocktails, firecrackers, machetes and knives.” Following the violence, the injured troops were urgently airlifted to hospitals in Imbabura province for medical care.
This outbreak of violence followed an official confirmation from the Presidency of Ecuador that both the Armed Forces and National Police had been dispatched to suppress ongoing blockades disrupting the region.
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the main organizer of the protests, condemned the government’s response, accusing it of harsh repression. They declared, “Imbabura (province) and Otavalo resist with dignity in the face of a government that has chosen violence instead of dialogue.” CONAIE further alleged that authorities have been obstructing access to medical aid, harassing healthcare workers, and denying treatment to the wounded—a violation they say breaches International Humanitarian Law.
President Noboa, who imposed a state of emergency earlier this month across 10 provinces, insists the blockades lack justification and represent an effort to derail his vision for “the new Ecuador.”
In response to the unrest, Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg revealed plans to reinforce military presence in Imbabura by deploying an additional 5,000 troops. “We will be here for as long as it takes to restore peace to the province,” Reimberg said. This surge comes atop the 1,000 troops already mobilized earlier this week as part of a humanitarian convoy.
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