Ecuador braces for more violent protests


Vigil of government supporters outside the presidential palace.

After days of anti-government demonstrations, some indigenous groups aligned with the right-wing opposition have vowed to continue protests and strike against President Rafael Correa. The opposition has described its national strike as indefinite.

Representatives of the Indigenous Confederation of Ecuador (CONAIE), Ecuarunari and other opposition indigenous groups have marched with the conservative CREO party, led by prominent banker Guillermo Lasso, and other right-wing sectors.

Together, they are demanding that proposed constitutional reforms be dropped and the government ousted.

Supporters of Correa and his government's “Citizens' Revolution” are holding a permanent vigil in front of the presidential palace in Quito – defending a government they say has lifted more than 1 million people out of poverty.

Speaking to supporters from the presidential palace balcony, Correa said of opposition protests: “This is a soft coup, heating up the streets, generating incidents, it is a national and international campaign without precedent that looks to discredit and delegitimise.”

Government supporters have said they will maintain their vigil as long as the opposition maintain their protest.

[Abridged from TeleSUR English.]

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