Ecuador’s President Lenín Moreno announced in a speech accompanied by the military and police leadership the transfer of the government headquarters from Quito to Guayaquil by protests against the Executive, while indicting former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and Venezuela’s representative, Nicolás Maduro, of being pushing “a coup d’état.”
In a message broadcast on national broadcasters, Moreno has appeared to be seconded by the country’s vice-president, Otto Sonnenholzner, Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrín, and the chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces and Police to announce the transfer of the Executive’s headquarters from Quito to Guayaquil.
“I have moved the headquarters to this beloved city, according to the constitutional powers that i have,” said the Ecuadorian representative, emphasizing that the mobilization of the country since October 3 “is not a manifestation of discontent” by the measures of economic cuts it has pushed.
“The rants, vandalism and violence show that there is an attempt to break democratic order,” he stressed. Moreno then accused former President Rafael Correa and Venezuela’s representative, Nicolás Maduro, of pushing for a “coup d’état” in Ecuador.
“The most violent are external, paid and organized individuals. Is it a coincidence that (Rafael) Correa, (Ricardo) Patiño and (Paola) Pabón traveled to Venezuela a few weeks ago? Maduro, activated together with Correa, his destabilization plan (…) They are the ones behind this coup attempt,” he said.
As reported by the newspaper ‘El Comercio’, in its institutional statement, of just over three minutes, the representative has thanked the commitment of the Armed Forces and the National Police to the demonstrations against the Executive.
“From the Government we will continue to protect the integrity of citizens (…) Violence and chaos are not going to win,” he said. Ecuador’s president has made it clear that he does not intend to backtrack on his economic measures, including the withdrawal of fuel subsidies.
“I’m not going to back down because the right thing to do is not nuanced (…) The elimination of the fuel subsidy is a historic decision. It ensures that our economy is healthy and the dolarization is protected,” he said.
Moreno has called on the social sectors to engage in a “fraternal and sincere dialogue”, “a door that was never closed from the government”.
GUAID SUPPORTS MORENO AND ACCUSES MADURO BY PROTESTS
In this context of mobilizations against the Ecuadorian Executive, Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president, opposition leader Juan Guaidó, has shown support for Ecuador’s president and has accused Maduro of pushing the protests against the Government.
“Moreno works to maintain and strengthen the Republic and institutions of Ecuador, a group funded by Maduro’s accomplices in America, taking advantage of the most vulnerable seeks, to end the stability of the country. Solidarity with Ecuador,” he said, in a message posted on his Twitter account.
Hours before Moreno’s institutional declaration, the Constitutional Court has issued a ruling combrating the Government by reducing from 60 to 30 days the state of emergency decreed by President Moreno as a result of the protests, the local television network Ecuavisa.
The eight judges of the high court unanimously decided to lower the period decided at first instance by the Ecuadorian president. In the statement with which it announced its ruling, the high court calls on the National Police and the Armed Forces “to fulfil their duties to prevent and protect the integrity and rights of journalists and the media, humanitarian assistance as well as the general public.”
THE INDIGENIST MOVEMENT CONAIE DISASSOCIATES FROM CORREA
On the other hand, the indigenous movement Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) has emphasized from its Twitter account that its struggle is unrelated to former President Rafael Correa and what he has defined as “Correismo”.
“CONAIE is de-parted from the coup platform of Correismo, our fight is for the IMF’s exit from Ecuador. We will not allow those who criminalized us for ten years to take advantage of our struggle and that of the Ecuadorian people. Miserable!” said the indigenist collective.
Following the announcement of the relocation of the government headquarters to Guayaquil, protests against Moreno and his government have continued in different parts of the country, including stings, and the indigenous march has arrived in Quito during the night of Monday to Tuesday.
In recent hours, according to ‘El Comercio’, looting of factories and wineries has been recorded in the towns of Toacazo, Tanicuchí, San Agustín de Callo, Mulaló, Joseguango Bajo and Piedra Colorada, as well as road and street courts.
