Protests have spread across Ecuador after President Daniel Noboa ended the country’s diesel subsidy, in place for more than 40 years.
• The measure, signed on 13 September, raised diesel prices from $1.80 to $2.80 per gallon, with the government projecting annual savings of over $1.1 billion.
• Officials argue the subsidy mainly benefited transport and agriculture but also encouraged fuel smuggling.
• The government has pledged that funds saved will go into social programmes, compensation schemes, and refinery investment.
Opposition response:
• Leonidas Iza, former head of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, accused the government of authoritarianism and failing to protect low-income citizens.
• Transport workers, farmers, and social groups warn of higher costs of living and basic goods.
In response, Noboa declared a state of emergency in eight provinces, enforced curfews, and vowed he “will not back down,” unlike predecessors in 2019 and 2022.
Source: UPI
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