Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso on Wednesday declared a 30-day state of emergency in four provinces of Azuay, Imbabura, Sucumbios and Orellana, citing an escalation of violence in the indigenous protest.
This declaration was made after violence, which has often come along with the protests, has affected social order, with reserved areas attacked, safety of citizens undermined and medicine and food supplies stopped, Lasso said in a decree, which was issued by the General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency.
The Armed Forces and the National Police units will be deployed in the four provinces to maintain public security and social order.
Under the state of emergency, the exercise of the right to freedom of association and assembly will be restricted and a night curfew will be imposed from Wednesday.
In Orellana and Sucumbios, the entire area where the oilfields and oil-producing facilities are located has declared "a security zone."
This was the third time that the Ecuadoran president had announced the state of emergency after the nationwide indefinite protest began on June 13.
The protest was called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), the largest indigenous organization in the South American country. It demands a list of economic and social concessions including a reduction in the price of diesel and gasoline by 40 cents.
So far, six deaths have been reported and 150 arrests have been made for various forms of violence, according to the Ecuadoran National Police.
A total of 228 police officers were injured in clashes with protesters, and 11 police vehicles and 11 police stations were destroyed.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app