Protests grip Ecuador’s capital

Name: WORLD
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Anti-government protesters near the National Assembly in Quito, Ecuador, on Tuesday Associated Press/Photo by Dolores Ochoa

Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno late on Monday moved his government out of the capital city of Quito. Angry protesters on Tuesday targeted the National Assembly and other government buildings, waving flags and chanting slogans. Moreno imposed a curfew across the area later in the day to quell the unrest.

What triggered the uprising? The marches began last week after the government scrapped fuel subsidies that cost $1.3 billion each year. Fuel prices spiked by more than 100 percent. Students and indigenous people joined the violent protests that started with transport workers. Authorities arrested more than 500 people and imposed a state of emergency.

Dig deeper: Read Bloomberg’s report on how Ecuador announced last week it would withdraw from OPEC as oil prices continue to fall.

Onize Ohikere

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks