Ecuadorian organizations ask OAS to evaluate activating Democratic Charter

A coalition of human rights defenders in Ecuador has urged the Organization of American States (OAS) to evaluate the activation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. The group, organized as the Alliance for Human Rights in Ecuador, argues that recent judicial and electoral decisions, particularly the suspension of a political movement, severely impact opposition political participation and alter the constitutional order.

Their call follows the suspension of the political movement Amigo (Acción Movilizadora Independiente Generando Oportunidades) by an electoral judge. This suspension, lasting nine months, came after the movement had selected key figures from the Revolución Ciudadana (RC) party, led by former President Rafael Correa, as candidates for upcoming local elections. The RC party itself has also been disqualified.

The judicial action against Amigo was based on a complaint filed by the interim prosecutor general regarding an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering. This is the same reason another judge suspended the RC party in March. The Alliance expressed deep concern, stating that "the succession and timing of these decisions deepen concerns about the use of electoral justice to restrict political competition and reduce, through administrative and jurisdictional channels, the options available to the electorate."

The organizations described Ecuador's current situation as an "authoritarian drift," noting that citizens rejected a proposal by President Daniel Noboa in November to convene a Constituent Assembly. They assert that the suspension of Amigo is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of "stigmatization, judicialization, and exclusion of opposition political actors" since Noboa took office in 2023. The Alliance has also requested active monitoring from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and relevant rapporteurs, urging them to seek information from the state and take preventive measures against potential restrictions on political rights or reprisals against those speaking out.