Ecuador: CONAIE Accepts Direct Dialogue With President Moreno

The Ecuadorean Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) on Saturday issued a statement announcing that it has accepted direct dialogue with President Lenin Moreno to discuss the repeal or revision of Decree 883, the legal instrument whereby the Ecuadorean government seeks to implement austerity measures.

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"After a consultation process with communities, organizations, peoples, nationalities and social organizations we have decided to participate in the direct dialogue with Lenin on the repeal or revision of Decree 883," Conaie tweeted.

At the same time, the government asked the UN and church authorities to help find an expedited way to establish a dialogue table.

Almost at the same time as the announcement, Leonidas Iza, a Conaie leader, said that his organization has nothing to do with actions being carried out near the State Comptroller building, where citizens are trying to enter by force.

Iza explained that his organization will participate in the dialogue if the talks take place with transparency and under special conditions.

He said that dialogue should take place in a "neutral site" and placing large screens outside the building so that people can see what happens in real time.

"After 10 days of chaos and brutal repression, protests continue throughout the country. Today, while the indigenous movement agreed to sit down and negotiate with the Government, a great uprising arose at Quito's popular neighborhoods."

According to local media, masked or unidentified people forcibly entered the Comptroller's building at 11:00 am local time on Saturday.

Once inside, these individuals, who do not belong to the indigenous movement, ransacked the offices and set the building on fire.

At 1:30 local time, smoke was emerging from the windows of the Comptroller's building, which firefighters had not been able to reach yet due to protests taking place in the city's streets.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, who was leading a delegation of the Ecuadorian Association of Municipalities(AME) in Guayaquil, announced that Moreno has also agreed to "analyze" Decree 883.

This presidential decision would have the purpose of creating conditions for social protests to "end today", according to Quito mayor.