Case Study: NATIONAL STRIKE

Mathias Lomas, Esteban Cano and Esteban Pinto

1. What is the problem? How did it come about and why is it important?(Tibi)

The problem is the national strike. This problem started because of the indigenous people who
didn’t agree with the new prices of certain things, like gasoline.This added to the fact that the
indigenous candidate lost the recent elections against the actual president Guillermo Lasso.
It is important because some people inside the indigenous protests are trying to make justice for
people in the country, even if their methods are not the correct ones, and some people may also
have other goals that go beyond that and that can harm the people. During this time there have
been acts of human rights violations, the denial of civil liberties, acts of violence, and the
disproportionate use of force against dozens of Indigenous leaders and protestors.

2. Use the syllabus to make connections between this case study and the syllabus. (Tibi)

Case Study NATIONAL STRIKE

Power, Sovereignty and International The protestors are claiming the government
Relations doesn't listen to them because they are a
minority.

Human Rights Some human rights are being violated by both

parts of this national strike, police forces and
protestors.

Development The development is being sabotaged during

this national strike, due to the closing of petrol
conducts, making the country lose a lot of
income money

peace and conflict The “peace” wwe had in the country has been
broken during this national strike.

3. Research and draw out the main arguments from each perspective. (steve)

What reasons do the government give to its How do critics respond to each of these
position? reasons and justifications? (indigenous
How does it justify these reasons? communities)

The position of the government when this Indiguenous as a result of this made a list of 10
situation started was unconcerned. This is points for the government to analyze, as well
because of the multiple times that they have as continuing the protests in a progressive
received threats from the indigenous. way.

When protests started getting violent each The indigenous protests started getting more
time, the government decided to respond by violent, so multiple activities like school were
using the police and military to try to stop this. suspended.
The government, when they saw all the
violence, agreed to start a dialogue with the
indigenous. They accepted most of the points
of the indigenous.
The indigenous didn't accept the proposal of
the government, and kept asking for more.
This happened because the indigenous saw
the weaknesses of the government so they
decided to continue the strike.

The government lifted the state of emergency The indigenous position has not changed and
and also now refuse to negotiate with the strike is advancing progressively, this
indigenous due to their drastic measures and situation will continue like this unless they
the death of an official. reach an agreement or the president resigns

4. Outline the violations to human rights, lost that have been accused of taking place/ have taken
place in this case. Use websites to find evidence. (Lomas)

Type of Violation/Lost Relevant Law Evidence of violation Source of information

Murthers of obstruction of streets The murthers of

protestants and highways protestants

Don't let people work the call to violence Curfew of the country
and protest

Destruction of public threat and abuse to Destruction of shops

spaces merchants and public spaces

5. Applying theory to the case of the national strike. (Lomas)

How might upper, The three tips of class that work and and strives daily to agree
middle, and lower class something to eat they go out to protest to be able to make a call for
perceive the national peace since they need their jobs and an economic reactivation that
strike? was just beginning and because of the unemployment the
Ecuadorian economy was stopped a lot

6. How does our country manage conflicts between the state and other political groups? (Esteban)

In my country Ecuador, conflicts like the one that is currently happening usually take time to be
solved. These conflicts where there's usually violence and protests are usually solved by
reaching an agreement with the government, which is forced to listen to the political groups
because of the pressure generated by the protests.