by Our Foreign Desk

A SPECTRUM of groups protested against Ecuador’s socialist government on Thursday in the run-up to a visit by the Pope.

Three days before Pope Francis was due to arrive, an alliance of right-wing oppositionists bent on regime change, human rights groups and indigenous organisations took to the streets.

Demonstrations were reported in the country’s three biggest cities, Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, as well as in other cities, with a few thousand participating.

Protesters objected to the Pais alliance government’s economic polices, mining and oil drilling in the Amazon and criticism of environmental groups.

Much of the discontent stems from austerity. Stung by a collapse in oil prices, the Opec-member nation was forced cut its public budget by about 4 per cent, imposed tariffs of up to 45 per cent on nearly 3,000 products and ordered wage cuts of up to 10 per cent for some public-sector workers.

Protests began early last month after the government announced a 75 per cent tax on inheritances and capital gains from property sales.

The demonstrations continued even after the policy was rescinded, raising the spectre of a right-wing coup.

A pro-government rally was held in front of the presidential palace, where President Rafael Correa attacked the timing of the protests.

“How irresponsible for these people to be trying to throw the country into turmoil a few days ahead of the arrival of his holiness,” he said. “We know the people will judge them.”