<article><p class="lead">Opposition parties in Ecuador's congress failed late yesterday to obtain sufficient votes to <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2345774">impeach President Guillermo Lasso</a>, whom they accused of mishandling 17 days of nationwide protests that have slashed oil output.</p><p>Only 80 legislators out of the 92 required voted to impeach the president. The 137-member national assembly had been debating a possible impeachment vote for four days.</p><p>The call for impeachment was led by opposition party Unes that is headed from afar by leftist former president Rafael Correa, considered a fugitive by Ecuadorean courts.</p><p>But protests called by the confederation of indigenous nationalities (Conaie) continue, calling for more gasoline and diesel subsidies and benefits for farmers. Protesters have blocked hundreds of highways and roads, cutting off distribution chains within the country and preventing many exports.</p><p>Protesters invaded crude fields and facilities, forcing the technicians to shut down around 1,200 wells and reducing national crude output to by 52pc 239,620 b/d on 27 June from 499,005 b/d on 12 June, a day before protests started.</p><p class="bylines">By Alberto Araujo</p></article>
