The Constitution, in paragraph 13 of Article 66, recognizes the right to free and voluntary association, assembly and protest. This universally recognized right allows sectors of citizens to express themselves, who at a certain moment refer to the lack of services or the neglect of the authorities, and do not have a valid interlocutor. Political groups also demonstrate for their principles and express their rejection by acts of power that they consider to be contrary to their ideas, and which in many cases have no popular representation to act on. All of this is perfectly valid as citizens’ rights that must be processed, not suppressed.

However, some indigenous organizations, which make up 7% of the country’s population, join forces with political groups that have already shown in previous strikes that they do not want to demonstrate, but to commit terrorist, rebellious acts, even burning down government institutions, destruction of evidence and trials against the rulers who robbed the homeland.

tired of being stuck

The looting, violence and looting that infiltrates the mobilization undermines the historical role of social protest in Ecuador

The planned protests for March 8, preventing the celebration of International Women’s Day, organized by the extended council of Conaia, demanding the resignation of the president, is an act outside the law. There are procedures for this in the Constitution, such as the revocation of the mandate, or in the powers of the Assembly. The president was elected by all Ecuadorians and we who respect the law do not accept coups that do not deserve the support of the citizens, that this case is not only against the president but against all of us who respect the law. Violence is not the solution, although its causes may be just or unjust.

The president was elected by all Ecuadorians and we who respect the law do not accept coups…

Racism

They are also radicalizing the struggle to defend their historical claims. Every demand, historical or not, must be embodied in laws that all citizens must abide by. They also talk about fighting forms of oppression without expressing what they are. But perhaps they want to replace forms of oppression, which we would all be against, with those of indigenous groups with their financiers. They are also interrupting the dialogue process with the Government, but it must not accept all of Conaie’s demands, because the state must also consider itself to represent 100% of Ecuadorians. Nor can it fulfill the demands that want to be imposed by force.

Why did Mr. Iza not ask for the fight against corruption and the development of drug trade, as other domestic sectors did for 14 years? Mr. Iza does not remember the Conaia demanding the abandonment of the Manta base, which was used to control the drug trade. Conaie was silent about the massive corruption of the previous governments. The prosecutor’s office is investigating corruption in this government and we have to wait for the results; But to accuse the government of drug trafficking – which seeks international support in the fight against drug traffickers – while Iza’s co-creators were the ones who gave the transnational drug trade a chance, is to think that there is no truth in proclaiming the defense of the interests of the Ecuadorian people. (OR)