Ecuador’s energy and mining minister, Xavier Vera, stood down on 28 October after an investigation was opened into allegations that he received bribes in return for securing jobs at the state oil company, Petroecuador. Vera has been replaced by Fernando Santos Alvite, an old hand in Ecuador’s oil sector who has become the third person to head the energy and mining ministry since President Guillermo Lasso took office in May 2021 with a promise to expand the extractive sector significantly. In this endeavour, Santos will face the same core obstacle as his two predecessors – fierce resistance to oil and mining projects from the umbrella indigenous organisation, Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (Conaie).End of preview - This article contains approximately 665 words.
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