New signs of unrest loom in Ecuador

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 8

New signs of unrest loom in Ecuador

NZPA Quito President Osvaldo Hurtado's Government kept a nation-wide state of emergency in force yesterday amid fresh signs of labour unrest and a call for a special session of congress to deal with the worst domestic crisis since he took office. The risk of fresh violence after five days of street riots last week put the Government under strain. The Interior Minister, Mr , Galo Garcia Feraud, denied Leftist accusations of Government paranoia and said that the country w’as calm and controlled. But he gave no indication when the Government would lift the state of emergency. The Government gave no response to a call by the Liberal Party leader. Daniel Alvarez, for a special session of unicameral national assembly to discuss austerity measures by the Government raising the price of petrol and bread. The increases set off anti-Government demonstrations and a strike by 300,000 workers that paralysed the Ecuadorean capital of one million people for 24 hours. Acting just ahead of the one-day protest strike, President Hurtado ordered the Army and the police to maintain order. He also ordered a night-time curfew for the nation.