THOUSANDS of people marched through Ecuadorian capital Quito on Thursday evening against left-wing President Rafael Correa’s bid to scrap constitutional term limits.

Grievances regarding labour law changes and land ownership rules were rolled into the opposition protest demands.
There were some clashes with police but the demonstration was largely peaceful.

Leaders of some unions and indigenous groups swung behind the march, joining forces with failed right-wing 2013 presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso and other conservative forces.

But such opposition has opened up rifts in labour and indigenous bodies.

Social Movements Co-ordinating Body spokesman Rodrigo Collaguazao blasted the leadership of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, which supported the demonstration, of seeking to destabilise the country and accused its leaders of being out of step with its grassroots.

Union federation CUT questioned why some avowedly left-wing organisations would play into the strategy of the right.

“The actions … do not represent the peaceful and democratic will of the Ecuadorian people, nor the majority of the workers of the country,” it said.