President orders army onto streets of Ecuadorian capital

Ecuador's army took to the streets after President Lenin Moreno ordered the first 24-hour curfew in decades in response to a day of attacks on government buildings and media offices.

By Saturday night, soldiers had retaken control of the park and streets leading to the National Assembly and the national comptroller's office, which had been broken into by protesters who lit fires inside the building.

Moreno said the military would enforce the round the clock curfew in Quito and around critical infrastructure like power stations and hospitals in response to the day's violence. It was the first such action imposed since a series of coups in the 1960s and '70s.

"We are going to restore order in all of Ecuador," Moreno said.

Late Saturday night, Moreno announced some possible concessions in an economic package that was opposed by many Ecuadorians. But he didn't retract his decision to remove fuel subsidies, a step that triggered the nationwide protests and clashes.

Moreno said his government would address some concerns of protesters, studying ways to ensure resources reach rural areas and offering compensation for those who lost earnings because of the recent upheaval.

"We'll negotiate with those who have decided to do so," Moreno said in remarks broadcast on radio and television.

"The process is moving forward and I hope to give you good news soon, because different organizations and sectors have confirmed their willingness to talk."
Leonidas Iza, a Quechua leader from mountainous Cotopaxi province, appeared to back Moreno's curfew, asking the armed forces to "guarantee peace and bring back the constitutional order."