By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO (Reuters) – A soldier was killed in an attack on a convoy carrying fuel to Ecuador’s largest oil field, the government confirmed on Tuesday, the latest incident of violence during more than two weeks of protests that have left at least eight dead.
Twelve others were wounded in the attack, the government said. The convoy was accompanying 17 diesel tankers from the Shushufindi refinery to the ITT oil bloc in the Amazon region when they were attacked by a group of people carrying guns, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Petroecuador has said it had no crude to transport through its SOTE pipeline. A company source who asked not to be named said the firm was looking at whether it would need to delay exports, but production would likely not be forced to stop for several more days.
Since June 13, largely indigenous demonstrators have been marching to protest high fuel and food prices. Road blockades associated with the protests have led to food shortages in supermarkets and of medical supplies in hospitals.
President Guillermo Lasso’s adversarial relationship with the national assembly has worsened during the protests. He has also withdrawn security measures and announced subsidized fertilizers and debt forgiveness.
Government representatives had not yet arrived on Tuesday at the planned resumption of talks with protesters. The government made concessions over the weekend but protesters are demanding deeper cuts in fuel prices.
Mediators said the talks would continue at 2 p.m. local time (1900 GMT). Lasso was set to speak at 12:45 p.m.
Blockades have prevented the transport of supplies to oil blocs operated by state-owned Petroecuador and private companies, the government has said.
Over the weekend, the energy ministry said operations might have to be halted on Tuesday. As of Monday total oil production was at 234,496 barrels per day (bpd), less than half the output of about 520,000 bpd before the protests.
The ITT field was operating normally and produced more than 52,000 bpd on Monday, according to Petroecuador.
Indigenous groups led by organization CONAIE and the government held talks on Monday amid demands that Lasso further cut fuel prices and impose tighter limits on oil and mining development.
CONAIE has said reductions announced on Sunday, which put so-called ‘gasoline extra’ at $2.45 per gallon and diesel at $1.80 per gallon, are not enough.
Lawmakers are set to continue debate on Tuesday on an effort to remove Lasso from office, though it appears opposition groups lack the necessary support for the measure to succeed.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by David Gregorio)
