On October 14, President Lenin Moreno repealed the decree establishing the removal of fuel subsidies and opened new dialogue channels with demonstrators. He announced that the price of fuels is being studied with a view to reducing subsidies and addressing their impact on sectors with less purchasing power.

The president’s decision is part of a new dialogue process between one sector of the protesters (mostly identified with the Ecuadorian indigenous movements) and the Executive Branch. The negotiations began on October 16 and both sides were in agreement to open up talks and study an eventual decree to adjust fuel prices and national subsidies.

With the dialogue channels open, the indigenous movement representatives (grouped together in the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador) stated that they would end all protest and strike measures. At the same time, the head of the Joint Command (Armed Forces) Roque Moreira announced the end of the state of emergency and curfew.

Negotiations began on Sunday, after an escalation in violence and insecurity over the weekend. A sector of the demonstrators took over and set fire to the Comptroller’s Office (headquarters of the Judiciary). Moreno, in a press conference, declared that the acts of violence were the responsibility of demonstrators who had infiltrated the social movements answering former president Rafael Correa.