Ecuador Could Halt Oil Production in 48 Hours if Protests Continue - Ministry

MEXICO CITY, (Sputnik) - Oil production in Ecuador is at critically low levels amid mass protests and will be brought to a complete halt in two days, unless logistics are restored, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said.

The volume of oil produced in Ecuador over the past two weeks was lower than the expected figure by 1.3 million barrels, and over 1,170 wells have been closed amid the protests.

Right now, there is a more than 50% drop in oil production and if this situation does not change, production will be halted in 48 hours, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said on social media on Sunday, explaining that due to acts of vandalism, seizure of wells and road closures, it has become impossible to transport raw materials and diesel fuel.

Ecuador has been grappling with civil unrest for the past few weeks. On June 13, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, CONAIE, launched small protests against the social and economic policies of the country's leadership in 11 regions. The unrest gained momentum the next day, when the police detained CONAIE's leader, Leonidas Iza, for 24 hours on charges of interfering with the work of public services.

Iza, who is now facing criminal charges, demanded that the government ensure demonstrators' safety, lift the state of emergency, and withdraw troops in order to begin negotiations. He added that a document containing 10 demands, which the authorities had been ignoring for over a year, was still on the table.

On Saturday, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso lifted the state of emergency introduced in six provinces earlier this month.