Government changes strategy, will not clear roadblocks in Imbabura; Strong earthquake shakes the Austro; Attempt to poison Noboa investigated

The government announced Tuesday it is changing its mission in Imbabura Province, and will focus on maintaining order in the towns and cities and will not attempt to clear blocked roadways. As of early Wednesday morning, 13 roads remained blocked by protesters.

The decision follows violent clashes last Tuesday between police and soldiers and indigenous strikers that left one man dead near Otavalo.

“We want people to open their businesses, go to work and resume their normal daily routines,” Army Operations Commander Ricardo Cajas said. “Working with police, we will ensure that the citizens are not intimidated by those who would prevent them from returning to normalcy.” He added: “We recognize that this situation will not be resolved overnight and that our first priority is to provide security for the population.”

A crowd gathers in the street outside of a Machala theater Tuesday night following a 6.1 magnitude earthquake.

He added that government forces will initially be stationed in Otavalo, Cotacachi, Atuntaqui and Ibarra.

Business interests in Imbabura welcomed the government’s mission to protect businesses and employees from intimidation but said clearing the highways is also essential. “We are in the worst economic crisis in recent history and ending the paralysis on our roads is just as important as restoring order in our cities,” the Ibarra Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. “Hundreds of businesses in the province are facing bankruptcy as the strike continues.”

The chamber said that financial loses since the beginning of the strike amount to $70 million to $80 million.

Also on Tuesday, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) President Marlon Vargas announced that the strike is no longer national in scope, but based in Imbabura Province. He said Conaie would focus on defeating the four questions in President Daniel Noboa’s November 16 national referendum.

Strong earthquake shakes the Austro
A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake was felt throughout southern Ecuador Tuesday night. The earthquake, which occurred at 7:15, was centered in Arenillas, El Oro Province, at a depth of 11 kilometers.

According to the national Risk Management Office, the quake was felt strongly in Machala and Loja and moderately in Guayaquil, Cuenca and Ambato.

Although the Geophysical Institute said the magnitude of the earthquake was strong enough to cause structural damage to buildings, no damage reports had been received as of midnight.

Attempt to poison Noboa is investigated
Armed Forces medical staff say an attempt was made to poison President Daniel Noboa October 17, during a visit to Babahoyo, in Los Ríos Province. The president was given a gift of pastries that contained lethal levels of thionyl chloride, chloroethanol and anthracene, a lab analysis determined.

Prosecutors and police are reviewing video footage to determine who gave the president the pastries, the presidential press office said Tuesday.

The presidential office said that it is routine that military medical personnel check all food items given to the president.