Tear gas and rubber bullets as Ecuadorians demand an end to energy crisis: Video

The march saw participants carrying banners and chanting slogans demanding immediate government intervention to alleviate the energy crisis.

However, the situation deteriorated as protesters attempted to approach government buildings. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, leading to violent confrontations.

Stone-throwing demonstrators also clashed with riot police, resulting in injuries on both sides.

"There is incompetence on the part of this government, which has left us without electricity, raised VAT, continued crime, lack of work, small businesses are closing," Eddie Carrasco told AFP.

Since September 23, 2024, Ecuador has faced an energy crisis marked by daily blackouts lasting up to 8 hours.

The government's decision to end fuel subsidies, which resulted in significant price hikes, has been a major flashpoint for the protests.

Instead of improving or making plans to eradicate the crisis, the government announced an extension in the duration to 14 hours on October 25, 2024.

The decision followed an announcement by President Daniel Noboa, made over a week earlier, promising gradual improvements in the daily power cuts.

On the issue of an economic dip, economist and university professor Felix Pilay said "The blackouts have generated millions of dollars in losses in various sectors of the Ecuadorian economy so that a sharp interruption in economic growth is expected, which is evident in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Massive power outages have led to the paralyzation of productive units, causing a wave of layoffs and economic losses in production and, therefore, in income. According to estimates by the Chambers of Commerce, small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) have reported a 30% drop in their operating capacity during the blackouts.”