Protest against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an in Quito, Ecuador on February 4, 2016. Photo: Giran 脰zcan.
Supporters of the Kurdish struggle took to the streets of Ecuador's capital, Quito, on February 4 to protest against Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an, who is in Ecuador on an official two-day visit. At the protest, one Erdo臒an's bodyguards broke the nose of Ecuadorean member of parliament Diego Vintimilla.
The protesters opposed Ankara's military operations against the militant Kurdish Workers' party (PKK) group, in which hundreds of civilians have been killed since August.
Protesters chanted, 鈥淟ong live Kurdistan,鈥 鈥淢urderer Erdo臒an鈥 and 鈥淥ut with Erdo臒an鈥 as the Turkish leader entered the IAEN University in Quito.
Giran 脰zcan, the Latin American representative of the Group of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), was at the protest and told TeleSUR that Vintimilla, who was with the protesters, was injured in a confrontation with one of Erdo臒an's security guards.
鈥淓rdo臒an's security guard attacked a protester, broke his nose and he is going to hospital now,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he people of Ecuador realise that a murderer is visiting their country today. Through President Erdo臒an's support for ISIS he is responsible for the hundreds of thousands of deaths in Syria.鈥
脰zcan added that Erdo臒an is responsible for the killing of hundreds of civilians in Kurdish towns such as Cizre and Sur as part of his push to consolidate power in Turkey.
He said the protest was an important action where 鈥渢he people of Ecuador are showing solidarity with the Kurdish people and people of the Middle East against aspiring dictators such as Erdo臒an and evil organisations that he supports, such as ISIS.鈥
Erdo臒an met with Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa in the capital to finalise economic deals between the two nations, which Erdo臒an described as 鈥渟trategic鈥 and the beginning of a golden era between Turkey and Ecuador.
Turkey and Ecuador currently have trade agreements that amount to almost US$200 million. Erdo臒an said the two countries aim to increase trade to 鈥淯S$500 or even to US$1 billion,鈥 without specifying deadlines.
[Republished from .]
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