In Ecuador, mass protests and riots continue due to the abolition of fuel benefits – the authorities introduced a state of emergency as a result, reports The Guardian.
“Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno declared a state of emergency in response to mass protests across the country caused by the abolition of old fuel subsidies,” the report said.
These subsidies have been operating in Ecuador for decades and have now been canceled as part of a large package of fiscal reforms. The Ecuadorian authorities consider that the abolition of the subsidies mentioned is crucial for saving the country’s economy.
The measures envisaged by the reforms, the Ecuadorian authorities began to implement this week. They also include significant changes in the tax system.
In general, the Ecuadorian authorities want to reduce the budget deficit from $ 3.6 billion to $ 1 billion in 2020.
It should be emphasized that in some places protests against reforms are becoming aggressive and forceful. For example, in the capital of Quito, protesters threw stones at the police, who responded with tear gas and armored personnel carriers.