Ecuador In State Of Emergency: End Of Fuel Subsidies Sparks Mass Protests

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/04/767164081/ecuador-in-state-of-emergency-end-of-fuel-subsidies-sparks-mass-protest

The news agency adds, "Diesel prices rose from $1.03 to $2.30 per gallon on Thursday, while gasoline rose from $1.85 to $2.39."

Some roads remain blocked on Friday, after indigenous rights groups, students and unions all worked to shut down traffic and disrupt commercial activities, aided by truck, bus and taxi drivers.

The news agency adds, "Diesel prices rose from $1.03 to $2.30 per gallon on Thursday, while gasoline rose from $1.85 to $2.39."

Some roads remain blocked on Friday, after indigenous rights groups, students and unions all worked to shut down traffic and disrupt commercial activities, aided by truck, bus and taxi drivers.

On Friday morning, Interior Minister María Paula Romo announced that the national police have arrested Jorge Calderón, president of the Federation of Taxi Drivers of Ecuador — a group closely tied to the mass protests.

In addition to the impact on their livelihoods and pocketbooks, critics of Moreno's fuel plan and other policies complain that austerity measures are being imposed on their country because of a multi-billion-dollar loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

In his response to the protests, Moreno accused the organizers of being in league with his political opponents and seeking to destabilize his government.