Ecuador - August 2024

A year after Ecuadorians voted to end oil drilling in the Yasuní national park, the government has not yet ended its operations. A high court decision had given authorities a one-year period to stop oil exploration and comply with the results of the August 2023 referendum. A group of UN experts has called on the government to respect popular will, amid concern over reports that new drilling was taking place, and the impact that extraction activities have on Indigenous peoples’ lands and livelihoods, and the environment. Environmental activists who, along with Indigenous leaders and groups had pushed for the referendum to take place, have asked the Court to hold an urgent hearing on the matter. President Daniel Noboa’s administration has requested an extension from the high court to allow for a gradual shut-down over a five-year period, as the government relies on revenue from oil to address its pressing security situation. 

Sources: OHCHR, El Comercio, Voz de America, El Pais, International IDEA