National Strike in Ecuador Against the Government After 12 Days of Protests Gains Strength and Resistance

Civilians clash with demonstrators during a protest against Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa over the rise in diesel prices and in support of indigenous demonstrators in the province of Imbabura. Photo: PL

October 3, 2025 Hour: 8:23 pm

With roads closed in the Ecuadorian highlands and demonstrations in some cities of the country, the national strike called by the indigenous movement of Ecuador reaches its twelfth day this Friday, October 3, with reports of 183 human rights violations.

During the first 12 days of the national strike, the atmosphere in the different communities has been to defend their rights at all costs, they have done so with marches, rallies and road closures, a measure that is growing in the face of the refusal of the Executive to listen to the people and attend to the needs of the most vulnerable sectors.

The Alliance of Human Rights Organizations presented the results of the monitoring of the abuses registered in the context of the national strike.

Vivian Idrovo, coordinator of this organization, reported that they have verified 183 reports of rights abuses from September 22 to October 2.

The first threats could be seen in the city of Latacunga, province of Cotopaxi, where the headquarters of the Presidency of Ecuador is currently temporarily located. Another point where there has been intense repression of those who fight against the Daniel Noboa measures is in the city of Otavalo. Here, the leaders denounced a strong repression by the forces of order.

They denounce that this strategy of the Executive is not only aimed at fragmenting the mobilizations, but also at putting an end to the organizations, making them lose strength, dividing the scriptures as a synonym for power in which only the people must give in.

According to Idrovo, “the Armed Forces are the most involved in human rights violations” during the mobilizations.

One of the voices with civil authority is Martha Tuquerres, president of the Union of Indigenous Peasant Organizations of Cotacachi (Unocar) who rejected the accusations of the Executive that those who take to the streets are terrorists or have links to organized crime.

“The international message is that we are community members, farmers, mothers, but we are not terrorists. The terrorists are the ones who are armed (…) our struggle for life, for the dignity and respect of our territories continues and will continue,” Tuquerres said.

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) ratified the permanence of protest actions against measures of the Government of Daniel Noboa, in particular the increase in the price of diesel after the elimination of the subsidy on that fuel.

In the midst of calls for dialogue by universities, the Catholic Church and international organizations such as the UN, the vice president of Conaie, Ercilia Castañeda, confirmed that there have been no approaches with the Government. For now, the Executive maintains its position on the strike, which has been not to negotiate and not to back down on the end of the diesel fuel subsidy.

 Meanwhile, the province of Imbabura, in the northern part of the country, continues to be the epicenter of the resistance, roads in that territory are still blocked and in cities such as Ibarra, Otavalo and Cotacachi, commercial activities have slowed down.