Protesters in Ecuador occupy oil stations

Protesters in Ecuador's Amazon region have blocked roads and occupied at least four oil stations.

They're demanding more government aid to combat poverty and greater security in the area.

There have been incidents of violence in the region involving Colombian left-wing rebels and right-wing paramilitaries.

Ecuador's interior minister, Juan Manrique, said the government had already begun to address the protesters' complaints, in particular by starting construction of a road linking the region to the rest of the country.

The government has sent a team of negotiators to discuss their demands.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service