ECUADOR DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY-
Ecuadorean police used tear gas and riot control tactics to disperse protests in Quito as demonstrators opposed the government’s elimination of diesel subsidies.
The confrontations erupted when demonstrators threw objects at riot police, who responded by firing tear gas and advancing on the crowds.
On the outskirts of Quito, demonstrators blocked highways with stones, earth mounds, and burning barricades. Police and military forces worked to clear the roadblocks, using bulldozers to remove debris.
The protests stem from the government’s decision last week to eliminate a $1.1 billion diesel subsidy used by the heavy transport, passenger vehicle, and agricultural sectors. The removal of the subsidy increased diesel costs from $1.80 to $2.80 per gallon, prompting widespread opposition from protesters who argue that the measure will increase living costs.
President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in seven provinces. The 60-day state of emergency suspends freedom of assembly in the seven affected provinces and authorises police and military forces to “prevent and dismantle public gatherings where threats to citizen security are identified.”
