“Pay suppliers” and “let the minister out” are some of the claims that were heard this Friday, December 15, on the ground floor of the Financial Platform, located in the north center of Quito and where the Ministry of Economy is located. and Finance.

Dozens of government suppliers have requested their debt payments since last October from the Government’s financial platform. Representatives of insurance, cleaning, medical equipment and education companies, among others, arrived at the scene. With signs and shouts through megaphones, they expressed their discomfort because they did not receive payments for being suppliers of goods and services to the state.

According to Marco Legízam, a spokesman for those affected, efforts are currently being made to reach an agreement on payment. He even said that they had reached an agreement to get treasury certificates (Cetes) and that is why the corresponding CUR (payment orders) for the consolidated debt of 15 million dollars were sent to the ministry.

He expressed regret that it was first discussed with outgoing Deputy Minister Daniel Lemos. However, they have now been informed that they must discuss the issue again with the recently hired Daniel Falconí, the new deputy finance minister.

Currently, the fiscal fund is greatly reduced. As of December 1, it was $94.9 million, and this December 8 (last report), the balance was $162.4 million. These are very low balances that do not cover possible salary payments for the month. Currently, the Government has significant delays. In terms of goods and services alone, as of December 15, 2023, the ministry has a total backlog of $447 million. The total accumulated in this item is $1.943 million, while $1.496 million was actually paid.

On the platform where the protest took place was Jadira Jaramillo, who owns a small furniture business that sells it to the state. She said that the debt between several contracts amounts to almost 130,000 dollars. She commented that she has been working with the state for several years and there are usually certain delays. There were no problems for two years, but in September everything changed.

Meanwhile, Arturo Silva, a representative of the association for cleaning services, which has 50 members and belongs to the National and Solidarity Economy, commented that he had not paid them since September. In their case, they provide services to Secap. This is very problematic for them because it prevents them from paying their suppliers for various cleaning products like chlorine and disinfectants. It would not be profitable for him to pay them with bonds or bonds because they need liquidity. They have to pay the Tax Administration (SRI) and the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS), and the banks don’t want to give them a loan, he said.

At the end of November, the new government of Daniel Noboa managed to pay salaries, but with problems because it had to be financed through a financial operation with the National Financial Corporation (CFN). This December, the government is also faced with the challenge of paying salaries and Christmas bonuses in the public sector.