I am Avelina Rogel I come from Tumbaco, but I am from the town of Cotopaxi. The measures and attitude from the government is disgraceful. My town is in the fight for equal rights for everyone.
Woman in Protest
In 2019 I went out with my camera to document the protests that took place in October after the ecuadorian government imposed the new economic reforms.
I gathered thirteen testimonies of the indigenous women who had joined the fight. Their faces were testimonies of struggle and resistance. Inside the massive crowd you could find their voices, their personal stories. You could feel their fear, fatigue, anger and social resistance.
In the last days of the protest, In the middle of the tired masses and widespread uncertainty, I gathered their testimonies. The questions were simple: why are you here? and how do you feel? Among tear gas they described their feelings on paper, many of them distracted, worried about their people who were fighting in the front line, some with tears in their eyes when they were faced with their emotions.
My presence here is to support all of the farmers of my town. Our objective is for the president to here our demands.
We are very affected by these reforms. We want these reforms to be repealed. We are people of limited means. How are we supposed to educate our children. The entire country is affected, this is why we will continue fighting and we wont give up until we accomplish victory. We will fight like warriors.
The economic reforms cause inequality and injustice. My town is humble and hardworking. We all deserve to live in a country that is fair and equal. I will fight for that alongside my community until the last consequences. This is for my wounded brothers and sisters and for my community.
Sadness, and indignation. Can’t believe that in the 21st century this keeps happening. It has awakened the anger of the daughters of the first rising.
We feel very affected. The economy, the necessity. The high cost of living. There is no work. I feel sad.
It affects us in everything. We can’t afford our living costs. I feel sad, the government doesn’t have compassion. The media lies, they say everything is fine when it isn’t.
The cost of living is really high. We don’t know what will happen. We are afraid to die.
It affects my family, we are poor and we don’t have any reach.
We the indigenous people are very affected by this because we are very poor. I feel very sad because indigenous people have died.
These economic reforms don’t help us at all. The government has never heard us. And that is why we are here. We are always going to be in front of our community The new cost of transportation won’t help. They wont forgive us a penny, that is why I am mad. I am enraged, and outraged. But I am here on the forefront because my jungle gives me the strength. I exist because of the jungle, the jungle gives me strength. It gives me power, and if I die I wont be scared because my spirit will be strong alongside my ancestors. And if I die nature will avenge me.