Regional human rights group denounces Ecuadorean government repression in protests

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has presented a report on its visit to Ecuador last October, when massive protests took place against the neoliberal measures promoted by President Lenin Moreno.

The IACHR report states that "the acts of protest, in certain cases, were repressed by the governement through the excessive use of force, mainly against members of indigenous communities who joined the demonstrations in Quito and in their ancestral territories".

The document also says that the suspension of fuel subsidies announced by the National Executive caused popular discontent, and also questioned the State of Emergency announced by Lenín Moreno, "limiting the freedom of passage throughout the national territory".

The IACHR reported that it interviewed 439 people and recorded a total of 380 testimonies that claim to be victims of serious human rights violations. "The accusations include the lack of consultation and participation in the adoption of measures that affect the social rights of the population, and irregularities in the filing of complaints and actions to protect constitutional guarantees.

The document also warned about the very little information revealed to relatives regarding persons who were detained and afterward died."

IACHR delegates held meetings with government officials, as well as with social and indigenous movement leaders and members. "The Commission met with representatives of civil society organizations, indigenous movements, transportation companies, businesspeople, private-sector unions, representatives from universities and hospitals, and journalists, as well as representatives from the public forces," they added.

The organization also pointed out that its delegates were victims of aggression by state authorities when they tried to interview the inmates of the Latacunga prison. Authorities in question prohibited IACHR staff from taking photos or videos, and hindered their work as much as was possible for them.