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indigenous The coalition that organized demonstrations that blocked highways in Ecuador last month said Wednesday it was ending the protests after President Daniel Noboa threatened to use the military to lift the blockade.
Ecuador’s Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities called for a national strike after NOBOA ended subsidies for diesel. The fuel is used in tractors, trucking in agricultural areas and many buses used by the country’s poorest people. Prices have increased from $1.80 to $2.80 per gallon.
The blockade has halted traffic in parts of the country, which has had a huge economic impact.
The coalition’s president, Marlon Vargas, said in a video posted on social media that ending the protests was a difficult decision, but one taken “to protect the lives of our people.”
Noboa had said in an interview earlier on Wednesday that he would use the military to clear blocked highways.
Gen. Henry Delgado, of the joint chiefs, told reporters that troops were prepared to clear roads in Imbabura province, the site of the most disruptive blockade.
“It cannot be that many Ecuadorians … want to impose themselves on 18 million Ecuadorians. We will not allow that,” Delgado said.
Vargas said indigenous groups would continue to protest.
“Mr President, if there had been dialogue and sensitivity before imposing decisions that would affect the poor, this strike could have been avoided,” he said.