Above photo: People mobilizing in the 2022 national strike against neoliberalism of Guillermo Lasso. Alexander Crespo/ Nuestroamericano.
Trade unions and social organizations will take to the streets nationwide to demand that the government reinstate the fuel subsidy.
Ecuadorian trade union the Unitary Workers’ Front (FUT), has called for a national mobilization on July 4 against the increase in gasoline prices in the country.
On June 26, through Executive Decree 308, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa ordered the elimination of gasoline subsidies in accordance with the provisions of the International Monetary Fund. The government has already reached agreements with some transportation unions to prevent them from joining future protests. According to the government, these unions will receive monthly compensation for the increase in gasoline costs. This agreement has been seen by some social leaders as an act of betrayal against the rest of the political and labor organizations.
Along with FUT, the Ecuadorian Confederation of Unitary Class Organizations of Workers (CEDOCUT), the Ecuadorian Confederation of Free Trade Union Organizations (CEOSL), the National Union of Educators (UNE), several federations of university and high school students, university professors, federations of physicians and retirees, and the political party Popular Unity (Unidad Popular) will also mobilize. In Quito, organizers will mobilize to the Carondelet Palace (the Government Palace) and deliver a letter to President Noboa, although according to his official agenda, he will not be in Ecuador.
FUT President, José Villavicencio, wrote in his X account “This July 4, we raise our voices against the fuel hike that affects our families and our communities. Together, we demand fair and sustainable solutions. See you in the streets!”
Trade union leaders maintain that if the price of gasoline is raised, it will increase inflation, which will lead to an increase in poverty in a country that is currently going through a serious economic crisis. In addition, they demand that the government invest more money in the state-owned oil companies.
The previous governments of Lenin Moreno (2017-2021) and Guillermo Lasso (2021-2023) also decreed the elimination of gasoline subsidies, but massive popular mobilizations, in which several people died as a result of state repression, caused both governments to withdraw the measure. Now Noboa’s government will try to repeat the economic initiative and hopes to sustain it over time in any way it can. On July 3, the Executive decreed a state of exception throughout the national territory, which could be seen as a measure to control future protests.
CONAIE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador) was one of the most important social and political actors in the previous protests (2019 and 2022), which managed to stop some of the key neoliberal measures of Moreno and Lasso. On July 3, Leonidas Iza, president of CONAIE, announced that his organization will not join the protests this July 4. However, they do not rule out joining the protests in the coming days. Everything will depend, according to Iza, if next week the CONAIE assembly decides to mobilize to demand the repeal of decree 308. If this happens, Iza warned that they will remain in the streets until they obtain favorable results for the Ecuadorian people.
For now, the unions and organizations of workers, teachers, and students that will take to the streets will seek to demonstrate their capacity for mobilization and thus try to get more movements and organizations to join the protests against the neoliberal government of Daniel Noboa.