Ecuadorean Indigenous Movement and Lasso To Meet on Oct. 4

Faced with the possibility that massive strikes would restart throughout the country, President Guillermo Lasso agreed to meet with the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) on Oct. 4.

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The news was confirmed by Interior Minister Alexandra Vela, who stated that Lasso set this date in an invitation to be sent to the Indigenous confederation.

The Indigenous movement reiterated its willingness to hold a dialogue through a resolution signed by CONAIE President Leonidas Iza, Carlos Sucuzhañay from The Confederation of Peoples of Kichwa Nationality (ECUARUNARI), and Marlon Vargas from the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE).

Nevertheless, CONAIE would opt for a permanent national mobilization if its proposals are not going to be accepted. In this sense, the Indigenous leadership called for the "unity of the exploited class of the countryside and the city" as a mechanism to confront the Lasso administration's neoliberal policies.

CONAIE also decided to hold permanent assemblies in each of the territories where it operates so as to analyze local and national problems.

Some of its demands require Lasso to comply with citizen claims such as fixing fuel prices, reducing the unemployment rate, providing social security, and allocating more financing health and education.

In order to promote this anti-neoliberal agenda, the CONAIE, together with workers, university students, and teachers, carried out several protests in the Lasso administration's first 100 days.