Protests erupt in Ecuador over fuel cuts

Police in Quito unleashed tear gas and stun grenades as crowds confronted security forces over President Daniel Noboa’s abrupt termination of a $1.1 billion diesel subsidy. The subsidy’s removal lifted diesel prices from about $1.80 to $2.80 per gallon, a rise protesters say will erode household budgets and hit transport‑dependent workers hardest.

The demonstration was part of a nationwide strike called by the Indigenous Nationalities Confederation of Ecuador (CONAIE). It drew students from the Central University of Ecuador, transport unions, Indigenous groups and a host of local organisations. Demonstrators marched toward the Carondelet Palace and other government buildings, attempting to breach police cordons and throwing stones at officers. In response, police fired multiple tear‑gas canisters and detonated stun grenades to disperse the assemblage.

Amid the clashes, the government declared a 60‑day state of emergency in seven provinces, suspending certain civil liberties—including the right to peaceful assembly—and placing public security under tighter military and police command. The decree also curtails public gatherings and grants authorities broader powers to detain participants.

Noboa defended the subsidy cut as a fiscal necessity, arguing that eliminating the program is required to stabilize state finances. He announced compensation packages for transport operators and new agricultural support programmes to offset the price shock. Critics, however, contend that the measure disproportionately burdens ordinary citizens already grappling with high living costs, and that the emergency decree further restricts democratic space.

Analysts warn that if Indigenous groups and citizen coalitions sustain or expand their mobilisation, the protests could deepen disruptions to transportation networks, supply chains and public order. The combination of rising fuel costs, limited political freedoms and a heavy security response creates a volatile environment that may spill over into additional provinces in the coming days.