Photo: DOLORES OCHOA/AP PHOTO/PICTURE ALLIANCE / Deutsche Welle
A loud cacerolazo was heard this Wednesday night (22 .06.2022) for several minutes in different neighborhoods of Quito to demand the start of a dialogue to end the protests against the government of President Guillermo Lasso, which have almost completely paralyzed the city for the second day in a row.
The metallic noise of the pots being hit from many houses put an end to the tenth day of the mobilization called from 13 June by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), together with other organizations that have concentrated the demonstrations in Quito.
Cacerolazo for La Paz. Ecuador wants peace. Quito got tired #forceizafuera #shiris #ParoEcuador2022 . Peace, dialogue and agreements @CONAIE_Ecuador @LassoGuillermo #ParoNacional #IzaTerrorista pic.twitter.com/vTYNSXDLT1
— Estefania Mora (@EstefaniaaaMora) June 23, 2022
The cacerolazo was encouraged by the mayor of Quito, Santiago Guarderas, one of the figures who has most insisted on the last days to hold a dialogue between the Government and the Conaie to resolve the list of ten demands of the indigenous movement.
#VIDEO | In several #Quito sectors, the so-called ‘cacerolazo’ is carried out as a request for the violence to stop and dialogue to begin. » https://t.co/kfOpNz4A36 pic.twitter.com/Z2wbFtc4EG
— Primicias (@Primicias) June 23 , 2022
Missing police officers appear
Meanwhile, the 18 police officers, whose “disappearance” was reported early on Wednesday, were found hours later and are in good condition, reported the authorities.
The general commander of the National Police of Ecuador, Fausto Salinas, indicated in his balance of the day that they requested the International Red Cross to make the respective approaches with the communities and could confirm that two agents who were still being held were in good condition, so that they could later be released.
The two agents were held in Tuesday night during the violent events that took place in Puyo, capital of the Amazonian province of Pastaza, in which a mob set fire to a bank office and also a police station, burning eighteen vehicles.
This has caused the Damage balance of the Police has amounted to 114 agents injured, a dozen patrol cars and seven motorcycles destroyed, as well as other 23 automobiles and seven motorcycles with minor damage.
Meanwhile, in different places in Quito, the banging of pots calling for peace was heard on Wednesday night, reported the local newspaper El Comercio.
“With this action, the citizens ask for the cessation of the national strike. Users on social networks believe that the Government and Conaie should enter into a dialogue as soon as possible”, added El Comercio.
The protests against the government of the conservative Lasso began on 13 of June and continue this Wednesday concentrated in several cities, mainly in the capital, Quito, after leaving so far a balance of two deceased protesters and no less than a hundred injured.
The indigenous movement refuses for now to dialogue with the Government as long as the state of emergency decreed in six provinces to stop the protests does not cease, the House of Ecuadorian Culture is freed from security forces to establish a popular assembly and compliance with its list of demands is guaranteed.
Summoned by the powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie), the protesters demand the reduction of fuel prices, the suspension of mining and oil concessions in native territories, the control of the price of agricultural products and the commitment that state companies will not be privatized, among others.