Guayaquil, October 8 (RHC)-- Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno issued Tuesday evening Executive Order 888 in which he decrees the move of the seat of government to Guayaquil, reaffirms the State of Exception and announces a special curfew around state buildings.
“To restrict transit and mobility under these terms: no circulation Monday thru Sunday from 20h00 to 05h00 local time around strategic government buildings and installations that function as headquarters for the state and others defined by the Armed Forces," article five of the decree reads.
This comes as thousands of protesters have set up camp and continued to strike a block away from the National Assembly building in Quito, and around the historic center of the city where the Presidential Palace is located.
According to teleSUR’s correspondent Denisse Herrera, the curfew began at 8 p.m. local time and police started to evict people at the Arbolito and Ejido parks, which are located in the vicinity of the National Assembly and State Comptroller buildings.
The last time an Ecuadorean president decreed a curfew with regards to mass protests against neoliberal and austerity measures was Oswaldo Hurtado in 1982, who was the first head of state to sign a letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund in exchange of structural reforms.
Over the last six days, massive protests have erupted across the country to protest against the neoliberal economic measures announced by Moreno last week.
In a defiant national television address on Monday evening, the Ecuadorean president announced that he was moving the government's seat to Guayaquil, a city which has been the traditional trench of the far-right and is located near the navy's main barracks. Accompanied by the military top brass and the defense minister, Moreno indicated that he would not back down on the fuel price hike in the face of what he called a leftist "destabilization" plan.
Although the government had fled to Guayaquil for refuge, Quito remained occupied by thousands of demonstrators. Activities were not being carried out as usual and there was no regular public or private transport.
According to official figures, over 510 protesters have been arrested by Monday. However, the number of injured and dead have not been announced yet, although social media users have reported at least three people killed as a result of demonstration-related events.
