One week from the closing of the work sessions between both sides is left and according to Government Minister Francisco Jiménez, there are 143 agreements on different issues and about 20 points of disagreement, many of which are essential for the indigenous organizations.

According to the representative of the executive, the work sessions on public and private banking, energy and natural resources, price control, security and justice, productive development, and collective rights have already concluded. Meanwhile, talks on higher education, access to health, subsidy targeting are still ongoing, and negotiations on labor will begin this Friday to complete the ten thematic sessions.

The lack of consensus persists in some aspects, especially on fuel subsidies, the most complex problem of all, said Leonidas Iza, president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE).

Talks will conclude on October 14, and the agreements with scope of a public policy, the pending points, and those without any agreement will be announced that day, Iza stated on Thursday at a meeting to coordinate the final stage of the talks.

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