Conaie rules out national strike as transport unions side with the government; Plans march to Assembly

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) will not participate in anti-government protests planned for Thursday, July 4. Conaie President Leonidas Iza said his organization supports the United Workers Front and other groups opposing the elimination of gasoline subsidies, but said it “will consider other avenues of action for the future.”

Conaie President Leonidas Iza

Iza said Conaie and other indigenous groups are focusing on Tuesday’s march to the National Assembly in Quito. “We will present our objections to the representatives regarding the elimination of the subsidy, the increase in VAT to 15%, and the failure of the government’s security plans that have hit the economy and Ecuadorian families very hard,” he said.

“We are thinking of other actions, but these will be announced at a later date,” Iza said in a radio interview. “Nothing is off the table.”

According to an unnamed member of the Conaie leadership council, the group decided over the weekend not to join the FUT protest planned for major cities and deferred plans to stage its own mobilization. “It was determined that we must organize our actions carefully and not rush to decisions,” he told an Ecuavisa reporter, adding that a major mobilization was discussed during weekend meetings but was rejected.

According to the council member, the decision by transport unions not to join protests was a major factor in the Conaie decision. The unions that represent tax drivers, were key allies of Conaie in the 2019 and 2022 national strikes but have reached an agreement with the government for compensation of losses due to higher gasoline prices.

Jorge Calderón, president of the Taxi Transport Operators, said Sunday that his organization is continuing talks with the government, which he says has been negotiating in good faith. “During our discussions, the government has been complying with its agreements and we are continuing to work toward solutions on the fuel price question and other issues,” he said. “Claims made on social media that the dialog has broken down and that we joining a strike are false.”

Deputy Government Minister Esteban Torres said Monday that talks with the transport unions have moved beyond the compensation the government will provide taxi owners. “We are now considering ways the taxistas can be protected and benefit from the new trade agreement with China, which is a concern of the unions.” He said terms of the trade agreement could be modified to reduce the cost of new vehicles and auto parts for taxi owners.

Tuesday’s Conaie march to the National Assembly will begin with a morning a sit-in at El Arbolito Park with the march to the Assembly beginning at about noon, Iza said.