In the historic Ecuadorian referendum, held recently, Ecuadorians resoundingly opposed oil exploration and drilling operations in the region located on the eastern edge of the Yasuní national park.
In the historic Ecuadorian referendum, held recently, Ecuadorians resoundingly opposed oil exploration and drilling operations in the region known as the oil Block 43, located on the eastern edge of the Yasuní national park.
As a result, the state’s oil company, Petroecuador, will be required to cease its operations in this area in the coming months.
Notably, this referendum coincided with the first round of the presidential elections, where the leftist candidate Luisa Gonzalez and former congressman Daniel Noboa were vying for office.
The Yasuni National Park, covering an extensive area of approximately one million hectares, ranks among the most biodiverse regions globally and was designated as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve Network site back in 1989.
Nemonte Nenquimo, a Waorani Indigenous leader and recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize, expressed her delight, saying, “Today marks a historic day! As a Waorani woman and a mother, I wholeheartedly welcome the decision to halt oil drilling in Ecuador’s sacred lands. We are finally taking a stand to remove oil companies from our territory! This victory is monumental, not just for Indigenous peoples, but also for the animals, plants, the spirits of the forest, and our climate.”
Leonidas Iza, President of Ecuador’s Indigenous federation Conaie, added, “This triumph demonstrates that, during this era of a climate crisis, humanity is mobilizing to safeguard our planet.”
An Ecological Struggle from 2007 to the Present
The call to halt petroleum drilling was first voiced in 2007 by then-President Rafael Correa. Correa stated that he would halt operations depending on funding from developed countries. In August 2013, he announced that operations would continue due to inadequate funding.
In opposition to this decision, indigenous groups and environmental advocates, in conjunction with the “Yasunidos” movement, called for a referendum. After a nearly decade-long struggle, they achieved their goal.
Progressing to the Second Round in Elections
In Ecuador’s presidential elections, during the campaign period, one of the candidates survived an assassination attempt. The two former legislators who garnered the most votes in the initial round of the presidential elections advanced to the second round.
Luisa Gonzalez, a left-wing candidate who pledged to revive the social programs of former President Rafael Correa, secured 33% of the support. Meanwhile, Noboa, the son of businessman and former presidential candidate Alvaro Noboa, renowned for his involvement in the banana trade, surprisingly claimed the second position with 24% of the votes.
The second round of voting is scheduled for October.