Representatives of the Waorani people and environmental organizations arrived in Quito to demand an end to oil extraction in the Yasuní National Park, one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.
The mobilization comes two years after the referendum on August 20, 2023, in which 59% of Ecuadorians voted to leave the oil underground.
A Popular Mandate Yet to Be Fulfilled
The referendum called for the closure of over 240 wells within a year, but the Ecuadorian government argues that complete dismantling will take five years. According to the official schedule, 48 wells were to be closed in 2025, but activists claim that only 10 have been closed.
“We are not here to plead, we are here to demand respect for our territory,” declared Juan Bay, president of the Waorani Nationality of Ecuador (NAWE), during the march in front of the Constitutional Court, where they presented a list of demands for the total closure to be carried out before 2027.
The Yasuní: Biosphere Reserve and Home to Isolated Peoples
The Yasuní National Park, designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1989, is home to the Tagaeri and Taromenane peoples, who live in voluntary isolation.
The continuation of oil exploitation jeopardizes their survival and severely affects the biodiversity of the area.
International Pressure: Human Rights Watch Demands Accelerated Closure
Oil production violates collective rights and contradicts the referendum outcome.
The organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement urging the Ecuadorian government to immediately halt oil extraction in the Yasuní.
“Continuing production ignores the citizen’s mandate and directly affects the rights of the peoples inhabiting the park,” stated Richard Pearshouse, director of environment at HRW.
Economic and Environmental Impact: Figures Adding Tension to the Debate
For over a decade, the Yasuní has produced 57,000 barrels of oil daily, with estimated revenues of $1.2 billion annually. In the first semester of 2025, production decreased to 44,000 barrels daily, but environmental consequences persist, according to documented complaints by HRW.
The state-owned company Petroecuador was consulted by the Associated Press regarding the progress of the schedule, but so far, no official statements have been issued.
An Urgent Call for Political and Environmental Coherence
The situation in Yasuní reflects a tension between popular will, economic interests, and territorial rights.
The delay in fulfilling the citizen’s mandate highlights the need to strengthen environmental governance, ensure respect for indigenous rights, and progress towards a just energy transition.
