Moreno: ‘Most protesters were coming for me’

Moreno said that pro-Correa forces are always encouraging aggression and that “people here know that.”

In an interview with the BBC, Lenin Moreno opened up about why he fled Quito. He also reiterated his theory that the protests have been orchestrated by Venezuela and former President Rafael Correa.

“Being a city with colonial characteristics, the center of Quito, where the government palace is located, is quite cloistered and it becomes difficult to reach if it is surrounded by military and police. It is easy to reach for protesters and difficult to reach the people who work in the government palace. Also…because in the end, most of them [protesters] were coming for me” the head of state said.

BBC journalist asked: “You have accused former president Rafael Correa and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of having activated a ‘destabilization plan’ and an ‘attempted coup’ against you. What evidence do you have of this?” Moreno replied that pro-Correa forces are always encouraging aggression and that “people here know that.”

While the transport strike was halted after the local governments agreed to increase public transport prices, the Indigenous movements and social organizations vowed to continue their protests, prompting Moreno to decree a transfer of the seat of the government from Quito to Guayaquil on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on teleSUR English.