An 18-day national strike in Ecuador concluded on 30 June with the signing of a “peace accord” between the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and the government of President Guillermo Lasso.
The peace agreement has been met with relief after bringing an end to weeks of violence. After CONAIE called a strike, a social explosion devastated the country, with hundreds of roadblocks, a state of emergency declared in various provinces, and heavy government repression. Thousands of demonstrators were on vigil day and night, and thousands of people were left without the daily work they need to feed their families.
There are no winners here. The people lost – with at least 6 dead, more than 500 injured and over a hundred detained. But the government also lost. President Lasso was nearly impeached by Congress, a motion initiated in midst of the protests by the opposing party UNES, led by former president Rafael Correa. Lasso lost the little legitimacy he had left and now appears more vulnerable than ever. Peace put an end to the armed violence but social unrest remains.
