The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which is in charge of organizing the statewide protests that have claimed six lives, and the government have both made calls for negotiation in an effort to come to an accord.
“On behalf of the Ecuadorian Bishops’ Conference, I wish to reaffirm our heartfelt call for the parties involved, setting aside any extreme position, to sit down to dialogue, to listen to each other, to reflect together and make decisions that benefit the entire country and not just small groups,” said Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera of Guayaquil, president of the Ecuadorian Bishops’ Conference, in a June 22 video message.
“At the same time, we want to commit our participation to what the parties also see fit.
The only thing we really want is for the much longed for peace to become a reality between us, a peace always based on justice, freedom and truth,” he added.
In order to demand lower fuel prices and price ceilings for agricultural products, indigenous organizations have called for an ongoing nationwide strike beginning on June 13.
The protests have descended into violence, and many roads have been blocked by demonstrators and police.
Inflation, unemployment, and poverty have recently reached unprecedented levels in Ecuador.
A surge of violence and skirmishes between residents and security personnel followed the initially nonviolent protest, resulting in six fatalities, 74 injuries, and 87 detentions so far.
The nation’s economic situation has also been made worse by the highway blockades.
Leonidas Iza, the leader of Conaie, is opposed to taking part in the talks that Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso had previously agreed to attend.
He cites the need to fulfill a number of prerequisites, such as lifting the state of emergency that is in place in six provinces of the nation.
On June 14, Iza was temporarily detained.
He is prohibited from leaving the country and has twice-weekly court appearances.
According to Patricio Carrillo, the interior minister, six police officers were hurt, 18 were reported missing, and 18 police cars were damaged in an attack by indigenous people on police installations in the city of Puyo on June 22.
Conaie also criticized the militaries and police for using abusive methods to suppress the protests.
Quito’s Archbishop Alfredo José Espinoza Mateus also came out against the nationwide strike, quoting Pope Francis.
“Pope Francis tells us that it’s not easy to build dialogue, especially if you are divided by rancor.
Dialogue is the only possible path, we have told the bishops of Ecuador. Dialogue, as the Pope affirms, must be marked by listening and meekness.
It must be a path that is built together,” he explained.
The prelate reminded that “hate and rancor through violence build walls, but assuming this attitude of listening, humility, meekness, builds bridges that unite us.”
“I again invite us as archbishop of Quito to take this path of dialogue; that we may know how to listen to each other, because it’s a common goal, the goal is the good of our country. And let’s build those bridges to be able to achieve an Ecuador of peace and a better Ecuador,” he concluded.