New York/ The Hague, 24 October 2019 – At a critical moment for Ecuador’s democracy, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) calls on the Ecuadorian national authorities, including the Presidency of the National Assembly, to ensure the respect of the fundamental rights of parliamentarians exercising their civil and political rights. These fundamental human rights are protected by the domestic legal order, as well as international law standards and obligations.

On 2 October 2019, the president of Ecuador published Decree 883 in the Supplement to the Official Journal number 52, which eliminates subsidies to fuel prices. The proposed increase in fuel prices threatened the livelihood of the indigenous population and sparked twelve days of protest. On 14 October, the President of Ecuador, Mr. Lenin Moreno, proceeded to re-establish the subsidies on fuel prices. The economic crisis has exacerbated the political rivalries between Mr. Moreno and the former President of the Republic, Mr. Rafael Correa.

Some legislators, who have expressed a political line closer to that of former president Correa, are being targeted and deprived of their civil and political rights as democratically-elected members of the National Assembly.

Asambleísta Soledad Buendía, chairperson of the PGA Ecuador National Group, has documented violations to her fundamental rights of physical and psychological integrity because of her political positions. On 14 October, while leaving her personal residence, Asambleísta Buendia was followed by an unknown car and received threats by an unidentified person, which prompted her to seek assistance and refuge at the nearby Embassy of Mexico. The president of the National Assembly of Ecuador has taken measures to strip her of her salary and could remove her from office, because she sought the protection of a foreign country in fear for her personal safety and security.  

Political repression of opposition legislators is contrary to the domestic and international Rule of Law. PGA urges all national institutions of Ecuador, a country usually at the forefront of the protection of human rights, to respect the fundamental rights of elected representatives of the people.