Ecuadorians Remember 'Rebellious October' With New Protests

Ecuador's progressive political movements, social organizations, and unions will take to the streets on Thursday to reject the economic crisis deepened by President Lenin Moreno, who persists in complying with the policy conditionalities imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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The Worker's Unitary Front (FUT) called a rally in Quito at 4:00 p.m. local time "in defense of employment, education, health, and social security." At that same time, in other cities of the country, workers, farmers, and students will also take to the streets.

Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo, however, tried to minimize the importance and magnitude of the new social protests. "The number of people who will mobilize will be less compared to the figure observed in last year's October," she said.

"All the police officers were summoned to their barracks and will be ready to respond as necessary," Romo added.

The new social unrest takes place as part of the commemoration of the first year of what Ecuadorians have called "Rebellious October."

In 2019, during practically the entire month of October, thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the implementation of the IMF policies, among which was the elimination of gasoline subsidies.

As a result of unprecedented police brutality, which has remained in impunity so far, over 10 citizens died and 1,500 people were injured as the Ecuadorian government tried to contain the Indigenous peoples who came to the country's capital from rural areas.