Planned Demonstrations This Weekend
September 25, 2009
Dear Wardens and Registrants:
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil, Ecuador wishes to inform American citizens visiting or resident in Ecuador that there are anticipated demonstrations scheduled to begin Sunday, September 27, 2009. The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) is scheduled to carry out nationwide demonstrations against a variety of Ecuadorian government projects, including the mining law, water law, and education law. CONAIE has claimed that its protests may be indefinite, so it is unknown how long the demonstrations will actually last. Embassy contacts report the demonstrations will likely begin Sunday night and continue into Monday, September 28.
The demonstrations are expected to take place throughout Ecuador and will likely include marches and the blockage of city streets and major inter-provincial roads. Similar protests in the past have led to violent confrontation between demonstrators and security forces. Police response to such demonstrations may include water cannons and tear gas. Public transportation between provinces is often disrupted during these events. While Sunday’s demonstrations are expected to be peaceful, demonstrations can turn violent with little or no warning.
American citizens are strongly urged to avoid all areas where demonstrations are in progress and should be prepared for intermittent road closures, including major routes throughout the country. If you should encounter demonstrations and/or roadblocks, you should not attempt to continue the planned travel or confront those at the roadblock. Instead, you should avoid areas where individuals are demonstrating and in case of roadblocks, find an alternate means of arriving at your destination or return to the origin of the trip.
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Americans living or traveling in Ecuador are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ecuador. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. Please see the following links for local warden message information in Quito and Guayaquil, respectively, http://ecuador.usembassy.gov and http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov.
U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for Ecuador and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution at the Department's web site at http://travel.state.gov. Updated information on travel and security in Ecuador may also be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or by calling 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States.
The U.S. Embassy in Quito is located at Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy Alfaro. The telephone during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) is (011) 593 2 398 5000 X3800. Within the same city use the last seven digits. Add the city code for intercity telephone calls. See also the Embassy web site at http://ecuador.usembassy.gov. American Citizen walk-in hours are between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Thursday, excluding U.S. and Ecuadorian holidays.
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil is located at the corner of Avenida 9 de Octubre and Garcia Moreno (near the Hotel Oro Verde); telephone (011-593-4) 232-3570 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or 232-1152 for after-hours emergencies; fax (011-593-4) 232-0904. See the Consulate General web site at http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov.
This email is UNCLASSIFIED based on the definitions provided in E.O.12958