It was a rise in 2022 - and it was not a peaceful one as we both know. Lasso wanted gas price raised to $2.55 and diesel at $1.90. After all the losses and nationwide protests the prices agreed to was $2.40 and $1.80. A lot of fighting nationwide (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Ecuadorian_protests) and incredible cost to Ecuador economy for 15 cents of gas and 10 cents of diesel.

Your article about the decree of 2024 is also an example of a gradual change that was able to work - but that was just for the last 10% bump.

The assertion of your post is that it is possible to make large changes to the subsidized price gradually and peacefully over time. I don't think the complete history from 2020 to present bears out that assertion. I do agree with you that Noboa would have been better off using the 2024 gradual approach you site...but it is also possible that financial obligations with the IMF just did not make that feasible. And - as we both suspect - Noboa may have also actually wanted this confrontation.

Either way - I think we both agree that fundamentally the subsidy is not good policy. I sincerely hope the indigenous leaders will refocus their efforts towards government implementing policies that more directly benefit them.

Finally - I know you have your deep suspicions on Noboa. And I do not defend him. But I also have very deep suspicions of the indigenous leadership. And it starts from the first time (in 2022) I saw these reports of Leonidas Iza confusing the price of gas in Europe (in Euro / liter) with the price of gas in dollar / gallon. Iza is an educated man who I do not believe could possibly make a error like this unintentionally.

Iza confuses units of gasoline prices

Here is what I found using an AI search to help:

Price Adjustments and Protests in 2022

Oct 2021 Extra/Ecopaís $2.55 (fixed) Diésel $1.90 (fixed)
President Lasso froze prices after previous incremental hikes, setting off initial protests. Price freeze implemented.

June 2022 All (See above)
Protests intensified, demanding a significant reduction in prices to $2.10 for gasoline and $1.50 for Diésel.

June 27, 2022 Extra/Ecopaís $2.45
President Lasso announced a 10-cent cut in response to the pressure of the protests.

June 27, 2022 Diésel $1.80
A 10-cent cut was also applied to Diésel.

June 30, 2022 Extra/Ecopaís $2.40
A final agreement with Indigenous leaders (CONAIE) led to an additional 5-cent reduction, settling the price at $2.40 per gallon.