Ecuador

[Glorious Amok]

my kid sister's best friend is working in Ecuador for a couple of years. read this email she just sent me, and then consider how bad things really are in your country...

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As the protests continue in the streets of Cuenca, so commence protests in Quito and Guayaquil. These demonstrations are minor to what will occur since the university students have not yet taken to the streets. Presently, the protesters are all high school aged kids expressing their discontent for the promises the government continues to communicate but never endures. Due to this being Christmas season, the rallies are relatively quiet; however in the New Year it is expected that many more will take to the streets.

Ecuador is suffering heaps of corruption especially where government is concerned. I will just take you back a few years to give you an idea of the anguish felt by the Ecuadorians.

In 1997, President Bucaran fled the country by means of military aid (helicopter) with sacs of money belonging to the citizens of Ecuador arriving in Panama where he continues to reside. This lead to the country’s finances being a total mess; it was claimed to be the country’s worst economic crisis in 70 years (0% growth rate, 50% inflation, oil prices rising, and natural disasters causing $2.6 billion dollars worth of devastation to the largest harvest in the country, the banana crops).

Soon after Bucaran fled the country, Jamil was elected into presidency. It was during Jamil’s reign that rumours began to float that the Sucre (national currency at that time) would be pegged to the American dollar; and in 1999 the Sucre fell by 25% to an all time low against the USD. This led to a surprise ‘bank holiday’ to avoid investors withdrawing their deposits. Millions took to the streets while the indigenous population barricaded the highways – 15 provinces were at a stand still until the central government deployed more than 15,000 soldiers to get the strikers back to work.

However, the end of the strike was accompanied by the end of fuel subsidies, petroleum rose from $1.00 to $1.90 per barrel, electricity prices rose 400%, sales taxes were increased, and a freeze of $3 billion dollars in bank deposits was placed preventing people from withdrawing more than a couple hundred dollars at one time. This however, did not prevent the Sucre from falling.

In January 2000, the economy fell 7% from the previous year, inflation rose 60%, the Sucre declined 300% in 12 months, and the US dollar was declared as the national currency. There are approximately 12.5 million people living in Ecuador and of this population, 80% are living in poverty. Dollarization was nonetheless seen as favouritism for the banks and private interests at the expense of the poor especially since prices were rising and wages decreasing.

It was during this time that V.P. Noboa was called to take over presidency and Jamil went into exile pocketing millions of dollars frozen during the crisis. (Side note: this ex president is now a Harvard University professor).

In the 2002 elections, Lucio Gutierrez was elected into power with the backings of indigenous populations and unions. He pledged to end corruption facing the country, decrease national debt, increase foreign investment and decrease social inequality.

So what is happening in present day Ecuador? Gutierrez is conducting a military dictatorship (no wonder the majority of the citizens hate the police force) in which a block has been put on the finances of government agencies with opposing ideals (ie: H. Consejo Provincial of Azuay, the Provincial Advisory of Azuay). Anyone who speaks out against the government will be killed or their family will be killed. Obviously, this form of government is not conducive for Ecuadorians in which the future will bring many more protests against the government and military presence.

Sunday, there was football game against Deportivo Cuenca and Omedo (Rio Bamba, another city). A gang of friends got together to go to the stadium to watch the game; we went to the ‘Cronica Roja’ section (members section) which is quite possibly the craziest of all the sections available. There were people climbing the fence, mosh pits started in the stands, fireworks, red die spayed all over the crowd, and of course everyone sporting the team jerseys and drinking. There was also a large police presence.

After the game was finished, the fans charged the field in excitement for the cup however, the police would not open the gate for this particular section to enter. In discontent, the fans began throwing plastic bottles at the officers and banging at the fence in which the police responded by tear gassing the crowd. Everyone immediately backed up and set fire to the news paper in the stands (the stands are concrete so no damage was done), apparently, smoke is a good method to eliminate the stinging (man, tear gas hurts when it gets on your skin, in your mouth and eyes). It was pretty crazy, to say the least (2 people that I saw were taken to the hospital).

Finally, the police left and the officers who remained smirked at those suffering from the gas and the fans were permitted to enter the field. It seems a bit much to have such heavy presence only in this one area, especially considering the hatred felt for the police.

We left and went to the Remigio Crespo to celebrate the triumph of Deportivo Cuenca with the other fans. (Side note: on Saturday, I had the privilege to visit Club Depotivo Cuenca where the players practice and I got my picture taken with some of the players; it was super exciting for me).

So there you have it folks, a little political history lesson of Ecuador.

[jimboloco]

This friend of your sister has mucho cojones.