Ecuador has entered its second week of protests, which began peacefully on June 14^th but have since involved several violent events. The protests are led by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), with demands for a drop in gas prices, price controls on agricultural products, and a larger education budget.

CONAIE also led Ecuador’s October 2019 protests, alongside student groups and taxi and bus drivers, in response to the government eliminating a US$1.3 billion gasoline subsidy as part of austerity measures. The 2019 protestors agreed to end demonstrations after CONAIE negotiated with the government to end the austerity measures, but not before security forces used excessive force against protestors or before protestors committed crimes against the police and other acts of violence and vandalism. 11 people died in these protests.

After 10 days of this new round of protests, it seems as though history may be repeating. The country is facing shortages of food and fuel. On June 21^st, a police station in the city of Puyo was burned down, as well as several patrol cars. Police killed one protestor during this altercation, which Ecuador’s Interior Minister, Patricio Carrillo, has blamed on the protestors. Carrillo has since said that police cannot guarantee security in Puyo.

CONAIE has denied the accusation of violence and insists the protestors have remained peaceful.

Amnesty International has stated that the “decision to repress the protests is provoking a human rights crisis” in Ecuador. The protests have already caused several deaths so far, one from direct conflict and two others from deaths in ambulances which were delayed by roadblocks. 114 police officers have been injured and 104 people have been detained.There is clear reason to seek resolution between the protestors and the government, without which the protests will likely continue to escalate, causing more casualties.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the United Nations, has also called on the Ecuadorian State “to lower tensions and to seek ways of dialogue.” The day after the fires in Puyo, an estimated 10,000 people marched through the streets of Quito, Ecuador’s capital, as part of a peaceful demonstration. That same day, President Guillermo Lasso rejected the conditions protestors put forward to engage in dialogue.

Although the government cannot completely rectify the situation, it must speak with the protestors to find a peaceful way to move forward while limiting violence and maximizing the support given to citizens. In a time when inflation and increased prices, especially for gasoline, are becoming common around the globe, these protests could spark further reactions from unhappy groups in other countries. Without an attempt at diplomatic resolution, the situation in Ecuador will likely only worsen, setting a poor example for other countries where similar concerns exist among citizens.