Voice of America
11 Oct 2019, 11:35 GMT+10
The weeklong protests in Ecuador took an alarming turn Thursday when indigenous protesters took several police officers hostage and paraded them before an angry crowd in the capital Quito.
The spectacle at the capital's cultural center came on the eighth day of violent protests over President Lenin Moreno's austerity measures that included scrapping a fuel subsidy.
Indigenous groups, leaders of the protests that also include students and union workers, confirmed that they were holding the officers but said they would not be harmed.
The protesters are also not allowing about 20 journalists covering the news at the cultural center to leave.
One indigenous leader and four others have been killed in the clashes, the public defender's office said Thursday.
Moreno, who moved his government out of the capital earlier this week, has returned and offered to hold talks with the opposition. But he has also said he would not reverse the austerity measures that are a part of a $4.2 billion funding deal he reached with the International Monetary Fund.
Indigenous leaders have condemned the deal, saying it will only deepen income inequality for the minority.
Get a daily dose of Argentina Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Argentina Star.
More InformationEVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
BEIJING, China: China's national soccer team may struggle to stir excitement, but its humanoid robots are drawing cheers — and not...
]LONDON, U.K.: A World Health Organization (WHO) expert group investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic released its final...
DOVER, Delaware: California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal aim at Fox News, accusing the network of deliberately distorting...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Germany has become the latest country to challenge Chinese AI firm DeepSeek over its data practices, as pressure...
TORONTO, Canada: Harvard University and the University of Toronto have created a backup plan to ensure Harvard graduate students continue...
NEW YORK, New York - Global stock indices closed with divergent performances on Tuesday, as investors weighed corporate earnings, central...
TORONTO, Canada: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced late on June 29 that trade negotiations with the U.S. have recommenced...
Vancouver, Canada: A high-stakes legal showdown is brewing in the world of athleisure. Lululemon, the Canadian brand known for its...
LONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...