Protests hit Ecuador oil exports

Ecuador's state oil firm Petroecuador has been forced to suspend crude exports after a violent demonstration in Napo province shut a key pipeline.

Petroecuador's halt to its 144,000 barrels per day (bpd) of exports came into effect on Tuesday after the Trans-Ecuadorean pipeline was closed.

Protesters had occupied a pumping station to demand more state resources for the poor province in the Amazon.

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