How Long Will the Nationwide Strike Persist?

Getting out of Dodge.

The first round of the national Paro got

Mr. Second Passport to thinking -- where

would he take his family if things got bad

again?

Spoiler alert...

not Mexico, possibly Colombia,

Peru is worth considering.

Although he doesn't come to a certified

conclusion, Passport explores these

possibilities and discusses some of the

cities he knows and would consider.

---

At YouTube.com's Mr. Second Passport

channel:

if you had to leave ecuador quick

Talks, unresolved.

More than three months after the Paro was paused,

the government and the indígenous have been

unable to resolve fuel subsidy differences.

Progress has been made on other issues, although

CONAIE's Leonidas Iza says he is disappointed in

general.

The talks are scheduled to end on Friday, according

to www.cuencahighlife.com, the source of this post.

Good: time for both sides to get it on, or move on. Either way, I am ready--although being stuck down in Cuenca means I won't be "Leaving on a Jet Plane".

Government says over 200 agreements

were produced by talks.

Ecuador's national government says 218

agreements were reached in its

recently-concluded 90 days of

negotiations with indígenas groups.

Under one agreement, a mechanism is

being introduced to ensure that

fuel-price subsidies benefit only the

vulnerable parts of Ecuadorian society,

the government says.

Other new agreements forgive certain

debts owed by small-scale farmers ..

and establish "socialized rates" for

telephone and Internet services,

according to www.msn.com

---

Source:  msn.com "Ecuador's

government, indigenous groups

reach agreements following talks"

Indígenas reaction to the results.

Leonidas Iza of CONAIE says the results of

the talks are a partial advance.

In Sr. Iza's opinion, the results fall well

short of what he considers the requirements

of the protesters who staged the massive

"paro" or strike last June.

Source... www.msn.com

Where do we go from here?

As not all issues are resolved, there is discussion

that the talks may resume at some point in the

coming weeks between Ecuador's government

and the indígenas.

Former presidential advisor and political analyst

Daniel Crespo believes the talks will resume.

"Indigenous leaders will threaten a new strike

but they understand they risk losing everything

they've gained during the negotiations,"

says Crespo.

"Public sentiment is very strongly against a

new mobilization.  People, including many of

the indigenous, are angry at the economic

damage caused by the June strike."

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Fuel-subsidy posturing.

Indígenas leaders do not consider shrimpers

and the tuna-fishing industry to be vulnerable

parts of Ecuador's economy worthy of

continued fuel-price subsidies.

"Why do they want to give away money to

these corporate interests?" asks CONAIE's

Leonidas Iza.

The government is insisting on maintaining

the fuel subsidies for fishermen, stating

that the subsidies are crucial to keeping

Ecuador's fishing industry competitive in

the international market.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Opinion and analysis.

The government appears to have the upper hand

as a result of the recent negotiations.

Even the indígenas have acknowledged that there

was significant progress in the talks.

CONAIE does not appear to have public support

for a repeat of the roadblocks that frustrated

Ecuadorians and Expats in June .. and damaged

the already-shaky economy.

--

Note that El Presidente has kept a low profile and

let others do the talking for the government ..

whereas Leonidas Iza has continued to speak

and to downplay the progress of the negotiations.

There are no signs that the paused Paro will

resume anytime soon.  The indígenas have

probably made too much progress to jeopardize

it with more Paro activity this year.

The tactic of blocking the roads was so frustrating

to individuals and businesses that it's a relief

to see that both sides have concluded there has

been progress through negotiating .. and thus a

recurrence of this tactic appears to be no more

than a distant possibility after the 90 days of

discussion, now concluded.

cccmedia in Quiito

@cccmedia … Let’s hope! An unmistakeable number of business closed down in Cotacachi because of the paro and have NOT reopened… The number of locals asking (very sheepishly I might add) for change, jobs, food assistance - and appearance on the street of their abandoned pets - increased markedly since June. To say that Ecuadoreans and Expats don’t support any more actions is an understatement… the normally reserved local Kichwa will even go so far as to say the paro was “controversial”… which when you get to know them is saying a LOT. The need is very clearly for businesses to recover, jobs to come back, and food security to return… in addition to resolving the disparities between the general Ecuadorean population in the cities and the indigenous who ARE in need of support via a cultural / attitude change in the government. Let’s hope neither side back tracks on the progress made, or sacrifices benefits gained for the sake of saving face.

New strike/roadblocks threatened.

"We will close highways and roads in

Guayas, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos and

possibly other provinces," declared

Gary Espinoza, president of FENOCIN.

That's the Association of Peasant,

Indigenous and Negro Organizations.

Espinoza is dissatisfied with the

government's response to indígenas

demands since the previous strike

in June.

"Many areas of the coastal region

escaped the pain of the June

mobilization," said Espinoza in a

television interview.

If his organization's members

mobilize this time, he says,

the coastal areas "will not escape

(the pain) this time."

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

@cccmedia …Any news yet of an impending paro? or is it big talk to push the government? I am in Cotacachi and was hoping to get a friend to take me to Quito, put me on a bus to Latacunga and spend a few days at an Airbnb Enjoying an indigenous farm experience… Dare I go?

As you may have noticed, I have used the

word "posturing" in some of my recent posts.

Everybody wants to look strong;  the

recent and potentially-future protesters

want people to know they're keeping their

powder dry.

My personal opinion is that there will be

no resumption of the Paro through the

Xmas/New Years holidays.

Beyond that, who can predict 2023?

Follow CuencaHighlife for any changes

in the situation.

As for traveling to Quito and Latacunga,

you make the call!

cccmedia in Quito

@cccmedia …lol, yes I have noticed. I think we came to the same conclusion. Gracias por tu opinión…

I strangely miss the smell of horse poop so I'll decide if I make the Leap (first year missing the Calgary stampede and rodeo 🤷🏼‍♂️… orrrr, excessive pancake consumption, cowboy boot Scootin’, line dancing in my 14 day urban cowboy gittyup 😅🤠)

OMG!  Is resumption of the Paro upon us?

More details are emerging c/o Cuenca Highlife

about a potential anti-government strike

called for by the Confederation of Indígenas,

Campesinas y Negras a.k.a. Fenocin.

The strike would last for two weeks, the first

two weeks in November (today is November 1!)

It would involve protester roadblocks in the

coastal provinces of Manabí, Guayas, El Oro,

Santa Elena and Esmeraldas.

Leonidas Iza's indígenas organization, CONAIE,

is entering the conversation .. saying it will

consult with its people to make a collective

decision.

Officials of the Episcopal conference (which

moderated the recent talks) and business

interests have 'rejected' the call for this

protest action, according to Cuenca Highlife.

The business groups state that protests and

roadblocks would do serious economic

damage to the economy during the important

holiday season that is now starting.

cccmedia in Quito

These are fighting words by Iza.

https://www.larepublica.ec/blog/2022/11 … unitarias/

Fighting words.

The title of the declaration by CONAIE, Sr. Iza's

confederation, can be translated as:

"The government of Guillermo Lasso

has run a failed state that represents

corruption, ineptitude and distrust."

---

Multiple red flags have turned up heading

into the holiday season -- Iza's fighting words,

the murder of multiple police officers in the

coastal provinces in apparent retaliation for

prisoner transfers, El Presidente's decision

to impose a 30-day emergency state with curfews

in Guayas and Esmeraldas provinces and

the threat of a two-week strike in coastal

provinces promoted by a different confederation.

cccmedia in Quito

"Hopefully, you live near an international airport.

and can plan a quick getaway to another country

before the protests begin.  That is why Ecuador

Expats are giving a hard look at living in Quito."

   -- N. Barley

-----

Mr. Barley was posting the above thoughts

on the Expat.com Colombia forum, as disparity

in the dollar-to-COP/peso exchange could

theoretically incite roadblock-protests.

In Ecuador, the reality of such protests

materialized last June .. and the posture

of certain groups led by the indígenas

makes future protests possible again.

As for making a plan for a quick getaway, as

Mr. Barley suggests, you have to take into

account that protesters with rocks and

fiery tires blocked various roads to Quito's

international airport in June.  In my case,

attempting to fly to Bogotá, Colombia, in

late June, I was fortunate to find an

experienced taxi driver in Quito's

Centro Histórico near my condo in June.

This driver knew all the back roads .. and

as we continued to encounter the

roadblocks, he maneuvered seamlessly

from one road to another until we

successfully arrived at the airport in time

for my flight.  He charged me about

fifty percent more than normal for

the perilous ride .. and I was glad to

pay for his skill and expertise.

Consider lining up an experienced driver

in advance in case it becomes advisable

to leave Ecuador for a while during a

potential future Paro.

cccmedia in Quito

Members, this is a reminder that this

thread is dedicated to the persistence

of the national strike, which has been

on pause.

Please post about the smells or sounds

of Ecuadorian agricultural fairs

on a relevant thread or via PM.

cccmedia, member, Expat.com experts team

Coastal strike is 'on' for the 15th.

The Fenocin federation says it will go ahead

with its plan to strike and block coastal roads

starting next Tuesday, November 15, if the

national government does not agree to

its demands.  Talks are underway

See more details at the source of this

post, www.cuencahighlife.com

Fenocin sabotage announced in advance.

Fenocin canceled its Paro planned for

the 15th and says it will stage periodic,

unscheduled roadblocks going forward

in four coastal provinces.

The organization says the government

lied about debt forgiveness plans

recently .. and so sabotage can be

anticipated.

Conaie is staying out of the coastal

dispute for now.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Government refuses to cave to 10K demands.

The national government of Ecuador is refusing

the Finocen demands for $10,000 debt relief for

individual citizens in economic straights.

While the president may have the power to

grant such relief in an emergency,

the government says it does not have

the money to cover such relief due to

covid and other problems. 

The government agreed to cover $3,000 debts

during the indigenous June strike. 

Finocen has been threatening sabotage in the

form of roadblocks in coastal provinces in order

to coerce compliance with its 10K demands.

News source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Teachers protest.

The National Union of Educators has called for

a day of protests this Friday (Dec. 16, 2022) --

yes, fewer than ten days before Christmas --

in Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil, Portoviejo and

possibly other cities.

The organization is unhappy with

government not having raised teacher pay.

Another issue is students who left the

school system during The Situation ..

and have not returned.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Eye on Peru.

Ecuador residents including myself are watching

events unfold here in Peru in the wake of the

alleged coup by ousted presidente

Pedro Castillo, the ex-farmer who attempted

to dissolve Congress and then his alleged coup plot

backfired.  He is currently imprisoned and the

government of Peru wants to keep him behind

bars for an 18-month term.

Unlike how civil unrest was handled in Ecuador

last June, when protesters shut down roadways

in Quito and other municipalities for almost

two weeks, the government of Peru is taking

a tougher stance.

The Peruvian defense minister has announced

that Peru will not tolerate the blocking of roads.

A State of Emergency has been declared for all

of Peru, giving the military powers to support

police in protecting property and keeping the

roads open.

Based on press reports, no Iza-type protest

leader has emerged in Peru to denounce the

government continually and mobilize the protests

on a concerted national basis.

cccmedia in Lima, Peru

Truce in effect at Christmastime?

Presidente Lasso will continue to deal with

Conaie, the powerful indigenous organization

that played a role in the removal of three

Ecuadorian presidents between 1997 and

2005.

¨Lasso and Conaie have put aside their

differences for now.¨

-- From a news article with analysis

published today at www.cuencahighlife.com

Here we go again!

Leonidas Iza let everyone enjoy Christmas dinner,

but now the Conaie leader is back with more threats

to blockade Ecuador's road system .. and is throwing

more shade at the national government as we start

the New Year.

Iza says Conaie members are prepared again to

¨take to the roads¨ if the government follows through

with plans to deploy the military near unauthorized

mines.

¨Because of its history of hostility toward indigenous

people, we do not want the army at mines near

indigenous peoples,¨ Iza stated.  ¨The government

is attempting to militarize the country to silence

the voice of the people.¨

Ecuador's government is stationing military at the

mines to fight illegal mining and drug trafficking.

However, Iza says the true intention is ¨to limit

the rights of the people.¨

Source... Cuenca Highlife website

And that's not all from Sr. Iza.

Conaie leader Leonidas Iza has a veiled

threat that can be read as closing down

the roads in Ecuador over unresolved

grievances from earlier this year.

¨The government has not followed through

on several promises made during negotiations

in August and September so we are

planning accordingly,¨ warned Sr. Iza.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

National Strike Date to Be Decided

by Conaie today.

You can add mining to the seemingly

never-ending list of problems that

the indigenous organization Conaie

considers to be worthy of a

national strike.

The date on which the national strike

against mining will take place or begin

is expected to be decided today

(January 12, 2022), according to an

article at Cuenca HighLife's website.

The strike is being organized by

the indigenous organization Conaie.

Date for mining protests -- when is it?

Conaie and an anti-mining group held an

assembly today and discussed plans for

launching a protest against expansion of

mining activities in Ecuador and the

alleged ill effects of mining.

Leonidas Iza spoke after the assembly,

saying that Conaie is preparing for

an anti-mining strike.

However, Sr. Iza did not announce a

date for resuming anti'-government

protests.

Source... Reuters

The FUt is mobilizing "el próximo" jueves, which I take to mean "this Thursday". They claim they are defending the bankrupt social security system against privatization.

All big city expats or those traveling to big cities should plan accordingly.

https://www.larepublica.ec/blog/2023/01 … ilizacion/

The FUt did in fact mobilize, starting at the headquarters of the IESS in Quito, and marching to the Centro Historico.  Does that hood look familiar? Apparently, the march consisted of hundreds of participants. 

Apparently, it wasn't a big enough event for either an English gringo blog or an Ecuadorian newspaper to report on it.

However, I did find proof on a Peruvian news site:

https://elcomercio.pe/mundo/latinoameri … utType=amp

Military enters the picture at some mines.

The Ecuadorian military is on a seek-and-destroy

mission against illegal mines that are said to be

damaging the environment in remote areas of

Ecuador.

Besides the mining itself, officials are concerned

about mining's impact on money laundering,

human trafficking and other questionable

activities.

El Presidente has put out the word he'll be

issue a mining-related decree next week.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Indigenas prepare for Paro, Round Two.

If you read press reports since this week's

election showing El Presidente's weakness

and figured more Paro was on the way,

you are probably correct.

Leonidas Iza, the big Jefe of last June's Paro,

has emerged from his pre-election cocoon

to blast Presidente Lasso and start making

noises that could lead to a resumption of

the national effort to block roads and

cause disruptions.

A pow-wow of indigenous groups, including

Iza's Conaie and other federations, will

take place at a joint meeting being scheduled

for February 18.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

Iza's big talk.

A series of quotes e-published today at

the Cuenca HighLife website indicates that

Leonidas Iza's conciliatory comments are

over, at least for now.

¨The government has lied to us about

meeting its obligations agreed to during

the negotiations,¨ said Iza.

Commenting on last Sunday's

national referendum in which the

public rejected all eight of

El Presidente's constitutional

amendments, the indigenas leader

said, ¨The people have delivered their

verdict on Sunday and we insist that he

either call new elections¨or resign.

Iza said his federation will not return

to the negotiating table because of

the government's alleged deception and

false declaration that it has been complying

with agreements previously negotiated.

Fenocin and Feine, two other federations

that represent indigenas and minorities,

say they will participate in the Feb. 18

meeting in Quito .. in opposition to Sr. Lasso

and his government.

Under the 'Death Cross' provision of the

Ecuadorian Constitution, the president of

the country can call for early elections of

the legislature and president .. and the

indigenas groups will consider pressing

for the Death Cross to be invoked.

Cuenca's Chamber of Commerce is adding its voice

to the claims of the dissatisfied.

The Chamber says the roads leading to Cuenca

are a mess, the problems constitute an emergency

and the national government has failed to keep up

its end in fixing things.

In a letter to the Lasso administration, the Cuenca

Chamber calls for ¨a comprehensive plan to connect

Cuenca reliably to the rest of the country.¨

The city sits in a region that is geologically prone

to landslides that can prevent traffic from reaching

Cuenca .. costing merchants customers and sales.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

El Presidente recuperates.

Presidente Lasso has canceled public appearances for

at least three weeks as he recuperates from leg surgery

performed at a hospital in metro Guayaquil.

A bathroom fall last week resulted in a left-leg

fibula break, necessitating the surgery.

Are Leonidas Iza and his cohort following the old adage,

Don't hit a man when he's down...?  There has been no

announcement of a national strike, no attacks on

Sr. Lasso, no claims of government ¨lies¨ since

Saturday's conclave of indigenas chieftains at which

resumption of the 2022 strike and roadblocks was

supposed to be discussed.

cccmedia

Situation ¨too complicated¨ for Iza's

meeting date.

Cuenca HighLife reports that the indigenas

meeting was scrubbed for Saturday and

re-scheduled for Friday, Feb. 24.

Leonidas Iza found the planning for an

anti-Lasso action was too complicated

for the parties to make a decision

by last Saturday.

Iza says the leaders of the indigenas federations

all agree the president should resign.

In a statement released this weekend,

Conaie member-federation Ecuarunari

said,  ¨We cannot continue with the government

in the hands of the mafia.  In any other country,

a president with blood on his face would have

resigned long ago.¨

FLASH!

Indigenas decide to forego mobilizing a strike,

will support impeachment efforts instead.

After a day filled with meetings on Friday,

Conaie and Fenocin have decided against

resuming the strike and road blockades that

lasted 18 days last June (2022).  They are

instead supporting a move already initiated

in the National Assembly aimed at removing

Presidente Lasso through impeachment.

In another surprise move, the board of

Fenocin decided to remove its leader,

Gary Espinosa, from his position.

A few days ago, Espinoza had claimed

his members were ready to ¨paralyze the

country¨ by renewing the strike on March 1

(four days from now).

Firing Espinoza is confirmation that the

indigenas are not currently willing to

inflame public opinion by renewing a

strike that caused economic hardship

for millions of Ecuadorians last year.

The strike and blockades will be held in

reserve as a potential 'last resort' if the

impeachment effort fails to remove

El Presidente.

Source... www.cuencahighlife.com

More big talk from Leonidas Iza.

The Conaie president reiterated his position

that his organization is finished talking

to the government.

¨We have been lied to again and again and

will take no more,¨ said Iza.

¨We cannot tolerate (Lasso's alleged)

relationship with drug trafficking through

his brother-in-law and other illegal acts that

have been revealed since the beginning

of the year.¨

Why Conaie has decided not to resume strike.

Cuenca HighLife's article quotes a Conaie delegate

named Isabel Ramos, who explained why any

decision to strike had to be postponed.

¨This should always be a last resort, since strikes

cause pain not only to the government but to

indigenous and poor people as well,¨ said Ramos.

¨Sometimes they are necessary and

we support them in that case, but

the decision to go on strike

must be made very carefully.¨