Ecuadorian president Lenín Moreno declared a state of emergency last week but protests are still ongoing with increased fervor. The protestors are demanding an end to austerity and the return of fuel subsidies. Now, a night curfew has been imposed near government buildings, and several countries have issued negative travel advisories.
Petrol prices have soared by more than 100% since last Thursday when the subsidies were removed. The unrest has forced President Lenín Moreno to move the government out of the capital.
Witnesses said protesters, some of whom were carrying wooden shields, broke through a security cordon around the National Assembly building on Tuesday. Once inside they waved flags and chanted slogans before being forced back by security forces using tear gas. No staff were in the building at the time. Other government buildings in the capital were also attacked and damaged, local media reported.
Now, the Calamity Fund in the Netherlands has declared the situation a calamity and all flights to Ecuador from the Netherlands has been cancelled. The Dutch minister of foreign affairs has also adjusted the travel advisories for tourists travelling to Ecuador. It isn’t yet clear how this will affect Ecuador’s imports and exports.
Source: BBC
