Interior Minister Mauricio Gandara said late Saturday he had been informed that residents of the strike-hit Andean region "had decided to end the strike."

"We are glad that reason has prevailed and people will be returning to work because the damage from the strike has been enormous, reaching about $500 million," the minister said.

But worker representative Guadalupe Llori disputed that account.

"We are considering just a suspension to be able to hold talks with the national government," she told AFP in a telephone interview.

Earlier in the day, troops were deployed to end roadblocks and protect oil facilities from attack, the state oil firm Petroecuador said in a statement.

"With the cooperation of the armed forces we have managed to reopen some roads and gain access to the operational areas, thanks to which the oil workers can restart operations in those stations and wells which are not heavily affected" by the protests, the statement said.