Since the beginning of January 2001, the people of Ecuador (Latin America) have risen up once again leading to clashes between the masses and the security forces of the state. The immediate cause for these incidents was a new draconian measure taken by the government under pressure from the IMF. The government of Noboa declared state of Emergency on  February 2. Despite of the state of Emergency and massive repression a general strike was successively organized on February 7; the industrial workers with the oil workers as the core went on strike; the rural population, the majority of them Indian peasants, occupied streets, bridges; students and teachers boycotted classes. The people of Ecuador are demanding immediate cancellation of the IMF-measures and end to US-military bases in Ecuador.

The government responded with brutal violence. In  response to the general strike 6 people were shot dead and another 70 leading representatives of the workers and people’s resistance were arrested. Arrest warrants were issued against the leaders of the revolutionary workers’ and people’s movement.