Quito (AFP)

With a capacity of 4,500 spectators, it usually hosts concerts. But since Tuesday, the Agora or House of Culture of Quito is occupied by thousands of natives, determined to radicalize their fight against the soaring price of gasoline.

On stage, the shaman Mama Rosita, white scarf knotted on the head, has petals of flowers on the ground and moves in a circle chanting prayers, surrounded by the smoke of eucalyptus branches.

She thus prepares the arrival, expected within a few hours, coffins of two natives killed during the week of events, for a tribute ceremony.

"We will receive our heroes!", Launches to the unleashed crowd Leonidas Iza, president of the indigenous and peasant movement of Cotopaxi (center). Dressed in a red poncho, he gives the microphone to the leaders of different indigenous peoples.

The hall is full and its access strictly controlled by the native natives, who made the Agora their headquarters while President Lenin Moreno moved his government headquarters in the southern city of Guayaquil.

At the forefront of social protest, the natives, who make up a quarter of the population, are more likely to move to the adjacent El Arbolito Park to protest.

- "More than 7.000" -

This time, they also invaded the concert hall, brandishing "wipalas", flags in the colors of the rainbow representing the ethnicities of the Andean country.

Coming with pots on their backs, they are determined to stay the time it takes, to force the government to reconsider its decision to remove fuel subsidies.

"Here we are more than 7,000," says a native representative on stage. Others are on their way to Quito.

On Thursday morning, the journalists who came to cover a press conference were sometimes questioned, on their arrival, on the media for which they work. Because the natives are particularly raised against the Ecuadorian media, which they deem subordinated to President Moreno.

"Gentlemen of the media of communication, do not defend a government which does not defend his people", proclaims Jaime Vargas, president of the Confederation of the indigenous nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), main organ representative of the autochthonous peoples.

It requires, like the public, that the media broadcast live what is happening in the Agora.

Denouncing never to appear on television, the natives found in this room the place to express their frustrations, including relying on a video broadcast via social networks.

Slowly, a cord, with wooden sticks and ropes, is organized around the journalists gathered in front of the stage. The government then issued a statement claiming that the reporters were being held hostage, as well as ten policemen.

- Discipline -

Indigenous leaders immediately deny and urge key stakeholders to take the microphone to ensure they are there "voluntarily".

Nevertheless, it is difficult to cross the cordon of security established by the natives, who hasten to provide food and water to the journalists and policemen waiting for several hours already.

The discipline is impressive, be it to claim silence in the room, to bring bottles of water, to pick up trash ... or to flush out the police infiltrators in the crowd.

One of them is apprehended with a backpack containing ammunition, handcuffs and yellow police vest. He is widely whistled on stage when he assures that he just wanted to apprehend thieves.

A student is spotted with a deafening grenade, which he says he stole from the police to defend himself during the demonstrations.

Finally, shortly after 4:00 pm, only one of the two coffins arrived, carried by the police while religious songs resounded. The procession ends on stage, where a mass is organized in the presence of the bereaved family.

According to the natives, one of the two men died by a car, the other from a traumatic brain injury after a fall during a demonstration.

"We do not leave here!" promises Leonidas Iza. As the day ends, El Arbolito Park will be evacuated due to curfew, but the natives will spend an extra night in the Agora and three universities.

© 2019 AFP