The eight day of nationwide Indigenous protests in Ecuador continued this Monday as the national strike called by the Ecuadorian Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities, CONAIE, persisted. The march began in Cayambe, moving toward Quito, the capital, drawing attention across the country and beyond. The event is being covered as a major moment in the ongoing demonstrations that have drawn both support and concern from communities, government, and international observers. The incident underscores the tense atmosphere surrounding the protests, which have included road blockades, civilian gatherings, and statements from multiple sides about the goals and methods of the movement as reported by El Universo.
Violence erupted when security forces used tear gas to disperse crowds, prompting people to seek shelter in close quarters and creating a sense of chaos. In the ensuing scramble, several demonstrators tumbled into a valley from a significant height. While some managed to escape independently, a teenager around eighteen years old lost his life after the fall. Rescue teams from the Quito Fire Department retrieved the body, which preliminary authorities said fell from approximately 100 metres amid the confusion and panic that followed the use of crowd-control measures.
The Ecuadorian National Police described the incident as an isolated and accidental event. Two other individuals sustained injuries after the fall. In a formal statement, the Police Authority emphasized that its actions were conducted with full regard for human rights and noted that the case is being treated as an isolated incident without police involvement. Authorities indicated that the judicial system would lead the investigation, and they reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the lives and safety of all citizens as events unfold and more information becomes available.
On Monday, Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo disclosed that sixty-one police officers were injured during the eight days of protests. He rejected claims circulating on social media that agents had pushed the young demonstrator into the valley, stating that such allegations do not reflect official accounts of the incident. The minister also stressed that the nation is focused on safeguarding public safety while upholding constitutional rights during the demonstrations and the ongoing investigation.
As a consequence of the strike, approximately eighty highway sections were shut to traffic to accommodate protest activity. President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency in three provinces—Pichincha, Cotopaxi, and Imbabura—to bolster security and ensure civic order, though the National Assembly convened on the same day to consider repealing the decree. The evolving situation highlighted the challenges faced by authorities in balancing urgent public safety concerns with the rights of peaceful protesters and the broader political implications of the protests across Ecuador.