Protesting natives shut down Ecuador capital

<snip>

Protesting natives supported by opponents of President Rafael Correa brought Ecuador's capital to a standstill Thursday, demanding an end to policies they say will open the Amazon rainforest to vast mining projects and ravage the environment.

Protests were prompted partly by a recent agreement between Ecuador and China for industrial copper mining in the Amazon's Ecuacorriente Zamora-Chinchipe region.

Supporters of the leftist president, however, also came out in force, raising fears of violence between the rival groups were high.

"We did not come to destabilize," said Humberto Cholango, head of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), a powerful umbrella group that represents natives from around the country.

<snip>

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/protesting-natives-shut-down-ecuador-capital-212433653.html