SHORT PROFILE OF Leonidas Iza, an engineer of Quichua origin and president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). Leonidas Iza, a 39 year-old environmental engineer of Quichua origin and president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). Iza is one of the main opponents of Guillermo Lasso's government and is leading the protest movement started on June 13 against fuel price hikes, blocking roads across the country, including those leading to the capital Quito. During the second day of protests, Iza was arrested and then released the next day. Conaie, which is credited with helping overthrow three Ecuadorian presidents between 1997 and 2005, wants prices to be reduced to $1.50 for diesel and $2.10 for petrol, a demand the government has so far rejected. Fuel prices have risen sharply since 2020, almost doubling for diesel from $1 to $1.90 per gallon and rising from $1.75 to $2.55 for petrol. Demonstrators are also demanding food price controls and a commitment to renegotiating the personal bank loans of about four million families. SHORT PROFILE OF Leonidas Iza