Ecuador Protests

Violent anti-government protests ended over the weekend after an agreement was reached between indigenous/worker protestors and the Ecuadorian government. The protests were in response to a newly signed set of economic austerity measures designed to cut social spending in exchange for a $4.2 billion (U.S.) dollar IMF loan.

Instructors, click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for Ecuador Protests

Links

“Ecuador’s Government Departs Capital Amid Deepening Violence And Unrest”
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/08/768216552/ecuadors-government-departs-capital-amid-deepening-violence-and-unrest

“Ecuador violence: Protestors agree to talks with government”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50030720

“Ecuador indigenous, president strike deal to end protests”
https://www.apnews.com/1a0ae2d37624412a8c1cc2b9d71cf7d0

“Ecuador: Gov’t To Drop IMF-Degree, Deal Reached Strike Over”
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Agreement-Reached-Between-Govt-Indigenous-Leaders-Strike-Called-Off-20191013-0021.html?fbclid=IwAR0DC5EWpQeuo-Jnpo6f-VvLv0xvoy8z4jywPbA9WD7oSXEaPjhD7SS8tco

“Ecuador’s masses rise up against neoliberal policies”
https://www.liberationnews.org/ecuadors-masses-rise-up-against-neoliberal-policies/

“Clowns, recycling and tear gas on site of clash over Ecuador’s economic future”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ecuador-economy-moreno-protest-amazon-fuel-imf-clowns-tear-gas-a9153476.html

“Ecuador: Protesters cautiously optimistic after deal with gov’t”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/ecuador-protesters-cautiously-optimistic-deal-gov-191014222937911.html

Assessment

Writing: Explain the role of the IMF in igniting the recent protest movement in Ecuador. How would austerity measures hurt working class and indigenous people in Ecuador?
Debate: The government in Ecuador should have accepted the IMF’s conditional loans in order to revive the country’s economy and reduce the national debt.
Poll: Do you think the peace is likely to last between the protesters and the government?
Short Answer: How can Ecuadorians manage the country’s debt without cutting important social programs?

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