Women shout slogans against the Government in front of a line of anti-riot agents today, in the streets of Quito (Ecuador) | Photo: EFE / José Jácome

La Paz, June 22 (RHC)-- Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has weighed in on the continuing repression against protesters in Ecuador.  "We denounce before the world that in Ecuador, armed repression of military and police is executed against thousands of indigenous brothers, who fight for the rights of a defenseless people who resist the neoliberal policies of hunger and misery.  Do not shoot the people!" said the former president.

In Ecuador, a week of protests is being held, with road blockades and mobilizations in the main cities, led by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) due to the increase in fuel prices.   In response to the protests, the Ecuadorian government decreed a state of emergency on Saturday, first in three cities, and then extended the measure to six.

On the ninth day of demonstrations, Quito dawned full of road closures in the north, south and east of the capital city of Quito, as well as in the historic center, where the Government Palace is located, and in the center-north, where the Salesian, Central and National Polytechnic universities are located, which house hundreds of indigenous people who arrived in the capital from other provinces of the country.

Due to disturbances registered in several areas of the city, mainly in the vicinity of the universities, the Municipality decided to suspend the integrated transport services of the Trolleybus and the Metrovía that run along the north-south longitudinal axis.

The National Police informed that several operations are being carried out to guarantee security and public order.