Loma Larga gold mine strike announced for Sept. 23; Airline tickets headed higher following elimination of subsidy; Cuenca public hospital budget reduced

The Federation of Indigenous and Peasant Organizations of Azuay (FOA) announced Wednesday that it will begin an indefinite strike September 23 to oppose development of the Loma Larga gold mine. The federation said it will be supported by the National Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) in its mobilization.

The federation also said a one-day protest is planned for Tuesday, August 19.

Airline passengers in Cuenca and three other cities will pay higher ticket prices following the government’s decision to eliminate a 40% jet fuel subsidy. (El Mercurio)

FOA leader Yaku Pérez said the organization is developing plans for the September strike but said it will include highway blockages, similar to the one imposed August 12 on the Pan American highway in Tarqui. “These actions cause disruptions that get the attention of government officials who would otherwise ignore our demands,” he said.

Pérez claims that the rights of nature have been violated in the permitting process that granted Dundee Precious Metals rights to exploit the Quimsacocha paramo site in the Victoria del Portete parish. “The rights of nature, which include maintaining uncontaminated water, are also the rights of the people who depend on clean water for farming and drinking,” he said.

Pérez added that the strike, because of its support from Conaie, could develop into a national mobilization. “Mining does not just affect Cuenca and Azuay Province, it affects the entire country,” he said. “The stand against Loma Larga will be a statement of the people to the government.”

Airline tickets headed higher following elimination of subsidy
The elimination of a 40% airline fuel subsidy could lead to a 10% to 15% hike in ticket prices for travelers to Cuenca, Manta, Loja and Santa Rosa. President Daniel Noboa ordered the move Wednesday along with subsidy reductions for gasoline.

The subsidy was granted to the four national airports in 2018 by former president Lenin Moreno to boost air travel. The international airports in Quito and Guayaquil do not receive the subsidy.

According to airport administrators and industry analysts the increased fuel costs could have an adverse impact on travel at the four airports, including a reduction of routes flown by Latam and Avianca, Ecuador’s two largest air carriers. “We would have preferred a gradual reduction to moderate the impact on air travel,” said Aaron Rodriguez of the Ecuador Airline Association. “We will have to wait and see if there is a reduction in the number of passengers and the overall impact on the industry.”

Public hospital budget reduced
Cuenca National Assemblyman Roque Ordóñez expressed anger Thursday following confirmation that the Ministry of Public Health has reduced the annual budget of Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital from $49 to $42 million dollars for 2025. The reduction is part of the government’s cost-cutting measures to reduce the federal deficit, the ministry said.

In a tour of the public hospital, Cuenca’s largest, Ordóñez said he found “critical deficiencies” throughout the facility. Among the problems, he said, were Inoperative mechanical ventilators; CT scanner operating at half capacity; disabled endoscopy equipment; lack of medication for palliative care; and restrooms without functioning sinks and toilets.

According to Ordóñez, the hospital administrator told him funding was insufficient to make repairs and upgrades before the budget reduction. “Now, it’s even worse, and despite patient complaints of lack of services, medication and appointments, the government has decided to institute a draconian budget cut,” he said. “I question priorities that ignore the needs of the people and suspect this decision is based on pressure from international money lenders.”