Ecuador Human Rights Deterioration Amidst Militarization

A consortium of international human rights and environmental organizations has issued a stark warning regarding the current trajectory in Ecuador. According to a joint report published by the International Federation for Human Rights and allied groups, the country is experiencing a rapid decline in protections for civil society and fundamental rights. The assessment, based on an observation visit conducted in March 2026, highlights a growing tension between state security policies and the preservation of democratic freedoms.

The report, titled "Criminalization and Attacks Against Civil Society in the Context of Militarization and Extractivism in Ecuador," identifies a pattern of escalating repression against peaceful protests and defenders. The organizations argue that the expansion of military roles in public safety has not reduced insecurity but has instead created an environment where judicial independence is undermined and civic participation is increasingly restricted.

Militarization and Security Policies

Since early 2024, the Ecuadorian government has repeatedly declared states of emergency and invoked an internal armed conflict to justify the presence of the Armed Forces in public spaces. Soraya Gutierrez, Secretary General of the FIDH, noted that these exceptional measures have failed to address the root causes of violence. Instead, she stated that the normalization of military intervention in socio-environmental conflicts has disproportionately affected Indigenous and Afrodescendant communities, while violent deaths continue to reach historic highs.

Judicial Independence Under Pressure

The report details significant challenges to the rule of law, including attacks on the Constitutional Court and delays in the administration of justice. César Sivo, president of the Association of Human Rights Lawyers, Judges, and Prosecutors of Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized that judicial autonomy is non-negotiable for a functioning democracy. He warned that without independent powers, the rule of law collapses, leaving citizens without recourse against state actions that may violate their rights.

Furthermore, the Ombudsman’s Office has been criticized for its insufficient response to the criminalization of human rights defenders. The coalition points to the freezing of bank accounts and the use of administrative measures against civil society organizations as tactics to silence dissent. This institutional weakening, according to the report, creates a vacuum where justice becomes inaccessible and accountability is eroded.

Shrinking Civic Space in Ecuador

Eduardo Marenco, Advocacy Officer for the Americas at CIVICUS, described an accelerating deterioration of civic space. He highlighted the violent repression of the 2025 national strike and the rising number of threats against journalists as key indicators of this trend. The report documents a hostile environment for civic freedoms, where regulatory obstacles and stigmatization are used to marginalize social movements and environmental defenders.

The organizations urge the state to acknowledge the scale of these violations and adopt robust preventive measures. They stress that security policies must adhere to international law and address the multidimensional causes of violence rather than relying on militarization. The forward focus remains on whether Ecuador will strengthen its legal institutions or deepen the current crisis, with the coming months expected to reveal the sustainability of these restrictive policies.