Sharjah24 – AFP: Indigenous protesters blocked roads across Ecuador Monday to demand a fuel price cut, in the latest such demonstration amid rising inflation, unemployment and poverty in the oil-producing South American country.
The nationwide demonstration kicked off at midnight and saw roads blocked with burning tires and barricades of sand, rocks and tree branches in at least 10 of Ecuador's 24 provinces, authorities said, with access to the capital Quito partly cut off.
The protest was called by the powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which is credited with helping topple three presidents between 1997 and 2005.
Indigenous peoples make up over a million of Ecuador's 17.7 million inhabitants.
President Guillermo Lasso warned late Sunday that the government would not allow roads or oil installations to be taken over by protesters.
On Monday, Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo said police and soldiers were deployed to "guarantee public order" and Defense Minister Luis Lara said fuel depots and other strategic installations were "under control."
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