Surviving Real SHTF: Chaos in Quito, Part 2
Despite the near complete media blackout, there’s a real SHTF situation brewing in Ecuador and its getting worse. One of our American Partisan readers is on the ground and providing first hand accounts of what’s going on. I’ve been helping him get their local Red Cross communications up to speed, suffering from severe neglect amid more convenient and simple methods such as satellites and cell phones- both of which relying on local infrastructure. And now, here they are, facing a grid-down situation and not being ready.
How about you?
Here’s his account:
OK…. Lets see…. Yesterdya was tense a lot of indigs wandering town in groups armed with 4-6′ hardwood staffs. Most friendly, none avertly hostille…I speak to these people, look at them engage them to find out where they are first. Had no problems. Was with my ex girl friend and a young indig girl I have known for a few months, we went to the indig girl’s community on foot about 10 KM from where I live. On this local road there were numerous road blocks that had been abandoned.. What I didnt anticipate was being out after dark and more over nothing but pepper spray, I didnt take the machete. Luckily wasnt needed but I wont make that mistake again. Can not stress enough the need for being proficiently armed. Only civilians that are armed here are the bad guys. there are I imagine more arms than one realizes in the indig community simply because when Correa made arms illegal they ignored him. most everyone else compled, the colones (colonial descendants of the original Spanish that were here, the mixed race and lighter skinned that live in the towns). Lots of indigs with machetes as well as the staffs.
You saw from the photos yesterday the state of the supply chain. Today nothign has changed most of the roads in Quito are closed. Guayaquil is partly open I imagine. I think the Mariscal Sucre airport in Quito is open, whether all flights are back to normal I dont know but I hear the air traffic overhead. Here as far north as we are its at altitude and its hard to know whether its military or civ. I do know from the local new sources that all of the major bus stations in Quito are closed, that most taxis are idle and that many highways are closed by manned roadblocks.
This from Teleamazonas
7October:
At least 10 waterways remain closed due to demonstrations
At least 10 waterways remain closed due to demonstrations
on:
At least ten roads along the coast of the country remain closed because of the demonstrations.
The defense minister, Oswaldo Jarrín, said he will try to prevent them from accessing Quito and warned the protesters, in the face of threats against areas of strategic sectors
————————————–
The indigenous community national council has declared a state of emergency in all of their communities saying any soldiers or police that enter will be arrested and tried according to indig law…now this
Ecuavisa 8:09 AM
53 military detained in Chimborazo and Imbabura
Government authorities negotiate to achieve their release.
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) in a statement said it declared a state of emergency in its territory and will stop police and military from entering and warning to apply indigenous justice.
The demonstrations, also starring students, workers and opponents, do not cease despite the state of exception, which empowers Moreno measures such as restricting rights such as free mobility and impose prior censorship for the press.
After a two-day strike by the transporters, which concluded on Friday, the Executive ordered increases of 30% for interprovincial tickets and suggested increases of up to 10 cents for urban transportation, under the control of municipalities. In Quito the ticket costs 25 cents.
Before 2007, the dollarized nation suffered almost a decade of its greatest political instability and social protests resulted in the overthrow of three presidents, two of whom attempted economic adjustments.
—————————————————————
Again Ecuavisa
More looting and blocking of roads on the fifth day of protests in Ecuador
7 October, 2019, 12:31 pm
Roadblocks, clashes between protesters and the police , mainly the Pan-American Highway, and looting were recorded on Monday morning, October 7, in the north-central part of the country. In cities like Quito there are obstructions in some avenues; while, in Guayaquil, taxi drivers also hindered streets in the center of the city for several hours. This situation remains in rejection of rising fuel prices.
Last Thursday, carriers declared an activity strike. Subsequently groups of students joined and finally the natives, who were invited on Sunday by President Lenin Moreno to the dialogue . The president warned that he will not reverse the decreed measures, which seek to solve serious deficiencies in the fiscal box, which allocated 1.3 billion dollars to subsidize fuels.
Government Minister María Paula Romo confirmed 477 detainees for impeding traffic, suspending public services and assaulting the police.
However, the tension environment does not cease. About 180 protesters on Monday forced the security of the warehouses of a dairy company in the town of Lasso, about 60 kilometers south of the capital, and stole products after assaulting employees. Losses have not yet been quantified.
The government said about it in a statement: “We reject aggression and looting, and any act that puts human lives and public and private assets at risk. In addition, he expressed concern about the lack of control in the political expression of social organizations ”and held the leadership responsible for“ these acts of vandalism and crime ”.