A group of world-renowned celebrities, including Jane Fonda, Harrison Ford, Emma Thompson, Eugenio Derbez, Stephen Fry, Cynthia Nixon, Chelsea Handler, and Lily Tomlin, have joined their voices to send a clear message to the government of Ecuador: “the Amazon is not for sale”.
The action comes in parallel to the participation of the Ecuadorian government in the United Nations General Assembly, taking place this week in New York.
The statement from these international figures is being spread through a mobile billboard circulating with a video that warns: “The Amazon is not for sale!”.
This tactic, a common practice during the General Assembly, is complemented by a social media campaign, highlighting a post from Jane Fonda that has been shared by other celebrities.
In the video material, the celebrities demand that President Noboa fulfills his duty to protect the human and collective rights of indigenous nationalities, as well as their ancestral territories in the Amazon.
This global call arises due to the serious risk posed by the government’s current oil plans, which threaten 3.5 million hectares of primary rainforest in one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.
“I have marched for peace, for justice, and now I stand with the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. The Amazon is not for sale, not for oil companies, not for miners, not for loggers. Its value goes beyond money: it is the beating heart of the planet, and defending it is all of our responsibility,” Fonda stated at the start of the campaign, which unfolds both on digital platforms and in the streets.
Waorani Leader Nemonte Nenquimo
This international support adds to that of youth and indigenous leaders from the affected areas. Among them is the renowned Waorani leader Nemonte Nenquimo, who in 2019 led her people to a historic climate victory against major oil corporations.
“Today the world’s eyes are on Ecuador due to the alarming dismantling of laws and presidential decrees that are restricting civil rights and threatening further destruction in the Amazon to promote oil extraction,” stated Nemonte Nenquimo of the Ceibo Alliance.
The main concern focuses on the “Hydrocarbon Roadmap” announced by the Ecuadorian government in August 2025. This ambitious and controversial plan includes 49 projects with an estimated investment of over 47,000 million dollars.
This plan poses a serious threat to extensive areas of Ecuadorian Amazon, affecting its fragile ecosystems and the ancestral homes of multiple indigenous communities.
It is crucial to highlight that 89% of these endangered territories correspond to intact primary forests, considered among the best preserved in the region and serving as a significant buffer against climate change.
Jane Fonda with the media at a press conference in New York
From various fronts, the international community is making strong calls to the Ecuadorian government to halt this plan. They warn that it directly threatens the protection of the Amazon, one of the world’s most vital ecosystems and a significant natural solution to the climate crisis.
Credit/Photos: Jason DeCrow / Amazon Frontlines
