Ecuador: Indigenous anti-state protests face brutal repression

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: TeleSUR
23 Sep 2025 11:57
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Indigenous protesters in Ecuador faced violent repression, including the use of firearms by security forces, during a national strike against President Daniel Noboa’s economic measures.

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Demonstrators argue with soldiers during an anti-government protest in Tabacundo, Ecuador, Monday, September 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Carlos Noriega)

Police and military forces in Ecuador opened fire on Indigenous protesters in the community of Pijal, González Suárez canton (Imbabura), during the national strike that began on Monday.

According to the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), assault rifles and live ammunition were used, endangering the lives of children, women, and the elderly.

The organization denounced the violence as a “war scenario against the people” and urged both national and international human rights bodies to intervene urgently.

The strike was triggered by Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa’s economic measures. Demonstrators are demanding the repeal of Executive Decree 126, which eliminated the diesel subsidy and set its price at $2.80 until December.

They also reject the increase in the value-added tax (VAT) from 12 to 15% and call for greater funding for health, education, and security in the midst of a worsening national crisis.

Militarization and violence in several provinces

In Latacunga, large contingents of police and military blocked access to the city, which protesters viewed as a direct threat. In Cayambe, peasants reported excessive use of force against communities opposing government policies.

In Pijal, beyond gunfire, community leaders denounced armed soldiers entering homes, escalating the atmosphere of repression.

CONAIE President Marlon Richard Vargas Santi condemned the state’s response and urged authorities to listen to the people’s legitimate demands. After state officials occupied the organization’s headquarters, CONAIE leaders, including Apawki Castro, announced an assembly on highways to decide the movement’s next steps.

In Latacunga, Indigenous and peasant communities marched with banners and slogans such as “Noboa Out, Noboa Out,” denouncing government austerity policies. Leaders warned that demonstrations would continue until Daniel Noboa reverses his economic measures.

The national strike reminds of earlier waves of mobilization in 2019 and 2022, also led by CONAIE, which forced governments to retreat from neoliberal reforms. The 2019 protests lasted more than ten days and overturned a decree eliminating fuel subsidies, while the 2022 mobilizations demanded fuel price cuts, debt relief, and action on the economic crisis.