Conaie announces the end of the indigenous strike

The indigenous strike is over. The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) made the announcement at noon Wednesday and asked its member to clear roadblocks and other obstructions erected during the strike.

Conaie President Marlon Vargas

“We arrive at this decision to protect our people from the brutal repression ordered by the Daniel Noboa Government,” Conaie said in a statement, noting that three of its supporters have been killed in the past 31 days and another 34 seriously injured.

Conaie said it has contacted its member organizations to stand down to allow a “state of normalcy to return to our communities.” In its statement, it asked the government to release all of those arrested during the strike and to “demilitarize” Imbabura Province, withdrawing its forces and vehicles.

In a radio interview, Conaie President Marlon Vargas said Conaie will summon a series of “permanent territorial assemblies” to focus on the campaign to defeat the four questions of the public referendum scheduled for November 16.

Reaction to the announcement by Conaie member organizations was mixed, with some rejecting the end to protests.

The Confederation of Peoples of the Kichwa Nationality (Ecuarunari), the country’s largest indigenous organization accepted the decision. “This does not represent a setback or a surrender in the struggle for the rights of indigenous peoples but accepts the reality that we cannot continue to endure government violence,” an Ecuarunari spokeswoman said. “We will continue our resistance through other methods and join other indigenous people to defeat the referendum in November.”

Shortly after the Conaie announcement, army and police units began to dismantle roadblocks in Imbabura and three other Provinces.