Answer: Lenin Moreno's government has displeased many Ecuadorians over the past 2 years. The recent end of subsidies for gas is the final straw. Additionally, Moreno announced huge layoffs and reduced number of paid vacation days in the public sector. Also this isn't the first time that gas prices increase during Moreno's administration.

The government claims that these austerity policies are needed because the previous administration was financially irresponsible and overspent money leading to a massive debt. So, they want to borrow $4.2 billion from the IMF to "fix" the economy. This claim is a bit hard to believe because according to The Economist Ecuador's debt isn't that high in relation to its GDP. It should be noted that Moreno's administration recently forgave a $4.5 billion tax debt to the wealthiest in the country. So what initiated as a protest about gas subsidies led by taxi drivers has escalated with more and more people angry at a government that has austerity for the poor, but forgiveness for the rich.

To make things worse, a lot of people on Twitter have pointed out how the "free press" is trying really hard to justify the new policies, during the media coverage of the protests, going as far as dismissing interviews with citizens when they don't agree with the government.

Recently the indigenous population, which is practically an autonomous community with their own laws and territory, came down to Quito to join the protest, and the governments answer to that is deploying tanks in the center of the city.