Ecuadorians Protest Against Lenin Moreno’s Betrayal

Diverse social movements in Ecuador participated in a mobilization on April 10, in Quito, under the slogan ‘Enough of Bad Government!’. They sought an end to what they see as President Lenin Moreno’s betrayal of the people and political persecution, and demanded that the rights of everyone are guaranteed. The peaceful march was met with police repression and social organizations denounced that several protesters were detained

¡URGENTE!
Policía detiene con violencia a manifestantes que dicen #BASTA al mal gobierno de Moreno!
No sean cobardes, no usen la violencia contra el pueblo!
Nomás persecución política! pic.twitter.com/YogfnayYlk

— Somos Más (@SomosMasEc) April 11, 2018

The protest came a day after the Comptroller General, Pablo Celi, presented a final report which held former President Rafael Correa responsible for the mismanagement of the national debt between 2012 and 2017. He called for a criminal sentence and administrative fines.

Many saw this accusation as the last straw amid rising contempt for Moreno’s government. Lenin Moreno, who assumed office in 2017, was seen as the candidate to follow Correa’s legacy and continue the Revolución Ciudadana (Citizen Revolution) towards more socialist structures in Ecuador. He was not only part of Correa’s left-wing party Alianza País but also served as the Vice-President while Rafael Correa was president from 2007-2013. His campaign was strongly supported by Correa himself and his supporters, and he would not have been able to win without their votes.

However, since assuming office, Moreno has distanced himself from the projects of Alianza País, and its Revolución Ciudadana. The Citizen Revolution was based on the implementation of socialism in the 21st century and the sustainable development of Ecuadorian society through socialism and a humanitarian life, called buen vivir (good living). Moreno also held a referendum in February that, among other things, impeded the possibility of Rafael Correa running for re-election.

Correa’s Ecuador was a key part of the block of progressive countries that supported Venezuela in the face of imperialist attacks. While Moreno has not made any major policy change in that direction, he has maintained a much more skeptical and critical stance towards Venezuela.

This was the motivation for hundreds of Ecuadorians to march towards the Simón Bolívar statue in Quito. People denounced unemployment, the increase in the prices for basic services, the political persecution, and above all what they see as deception and betrayal by Lenin Moreno.