ECUADORIAN President Rafael Correa announced several one-year tax increases to help pay for reconstruction — after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake left over 500 people dead and caused billions of damage.
In a nationally televised address on Wednesday (April 20) night, Correa announced several short-term tax changes to help Ecuador recover. It includes a one-off tax on millionaires.
For example, the sales tax is to be increased from 12% to 14% for one year only.
Plus people with more than $1 million dollars in assets are to pay a one-time sum equivalent to 0.9% of their wealth.
Thousands of people have been left homeless, making them vulnerable to dirty drinking water and disease.
Meawhile, UNICEF is warning that 150,000 children may have been affected by the disaster
They also said that landslides were complicating rescue efforts in some areas, and some towns were without electricity.