Indigenous protesters block Latacunga city centre in Ecuador over diesel price hike
Indigenous groups in Ecuador mobilised in Latacunga, the capital of Cotopaxi province, on Monday to protest a sharp rise in diesel prices, clashing indirectly with government forces and supporters of President Daniel Noboa.
Authorities prevented demonstrators from reaching the city centre, where the president had temporarily relocated his office.
Around 500 protesters, coming from across Cotopaxi, marched along the Pan-American Highway after military roadblocks and counter-protests blocked access to the central plaza. Demonstrators chanted slogans calling for Noboa’s removal, while organisers emphasised the peaceful nature of the march.
Leaders of the Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC) and other groups coordinated the demonstration, citing strategic concerns over avoiding direct confrontations. “We are organising carefully. Our aim is to resist government actions, not provoke violence”, said coordinator Apawki Castro.
The Ministry of the Interior reported 24 arrests during the day, after clashes in other parts of Cotopaxi and nearby provinces like Imbabura. Security forces said some demonstrators attacked police facilities, vehicles, and officers with projectiles, though the main march remained largely peaceful.
President Noboa vowed not to yield to the protesters, accusing them of trying to destabilise the country. He maintains his presence in Latacunga and has imposed states of exception, including curfews, in multiple provinces. Indigenous participants, meanwhile, argued that the protests were a response to broken campaign promises and sudden fuel price hikes, drawing parallels with earlier movements in 2019 and 2022 that forced previous governments to reverse similar policies.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
