But as the US dollars became the only legal tender on Monday, many customers found that the lack of small change meant that some prices had in effect risen steeply. Some people have had to use dollar bills to buy a newspaper priced at 25 cents, as sellers have been unable to offer them their change. Market stall holders, shoeshine boys and other traders who rely on small change are also being hit. The coin shortage was attacked by economist Roberto Aguirre, who said the government had not planned the switch thoroughly enough. All trading is now supposed to be in dollars, but people have until March to switch any remaining sucres.
Some people still regard the adoption of the dollar as an affront to national sovereignty.
A wave of protests over the move contributed to the overthrow of President Jamil Mahuad's government last January. Since the dollar began to be introduced in April, some confidence has returned to the country's financial institutions and the government says this shows that its strategy is working.