People in Ecuador have woken up to a fragmented and polarised society

Description

The recent protests in Ecuador brought the capital of Quito to a standstill, forced President Lenín Moreno to relocate the seat of government, and saw the declaration of a state of emergency and a curfew. This was after the announcement of the end to a fuel subsidy — in place for the last four decades — and a series of austerity reforms.

Protests illustrate the deeply seated divisions between indigenous groups and other sectors of the population, the malign role of some politicians in opposition to the current government, and the role of international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in recommending controversial austerity policies that operate in a context in which racial and gender inequalities are salient. This explains the pivotal role of indigenous women in the latest demonstrations, as they have been victims of different degrees and types of marginalisation.