Ecuador: CONAIE Condemns Fatal Repression
CONAIE President Marlon Vargas, Sept. 29, 2025. X/ @wambraEc
September 29, 2025 Hour: 1:06 pm
Indigenous peoples in Cañar and Tungurahua join protests as President Noboa refuses to restore fuel subsidy.
On Monday, Ecuador’s Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) held a press conference to brief national and international media about ongoing unrest in the Andean country.
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“The press conference began with a minute of silence in honor of Efrain Fuerez, a community member from Inguinzala, who was killed during state repression in Cotacachi, Imbabura province,” teleSUR correspondent Elena Rodriguez reported.
“CONAIE denounced that his death, which occurred amid protests against the elimination of the diesel subsidy, reflects the violence unleashed by President Daniel Noboa’s government against the mobilized people. Indigenous leaders demanded justice and held the state directly responsible for human rights violations committed during the national strike,” she added.
The Government Generates Terror, Not the Indigenous People
At the press conference, CONAIE President Marlon Vargas rejected the narrative that the Noboa administration and mainstream media seek to impose as truth.
“The Indigenous movement is not terrorist nor financed by the mafia. The real terror has been imposed by the government with its repression,” he said, stressing that Indigenous peoples are defenders of life and natural resources.
Vargas denounced the killing of community member Efrain Fuerez, who he said was shot three times by the military.
“We demand that international human rights organizations carry out an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation to clarify the facts and punish those responsible,” he said, also urging the Noboa administration to immediately end violent actions against the unarmed population.
Vargas called on all social sectors and citizens to maintain the national strike in the streets and demanded unrestricted respect for collective rights, particularly the right to free, prior and informed consultation on projects affecting the environment. He also denied the government’s claim that 17 soldiers had disappeared at the hands of demonstrators.
The text reads, “Noboa’s repression: government orders massive deployment of force toward Imbabura”
CONAIE Reaffirms Its Demands
At the press conference, the CONAIE president reaffirmed the following resolutions adopted by the Indigenous movement:
* Immediate repeal of Decree 126 and economic measures that increase the cost of living.
* A solution to the health and public education crisis caused by lack of resources.
* Respect for the right to protest and social organization.
* An end to extractivist expansion and rejection of oil frontier expansion in the Amazon.
* Full guarantees for the life and security of the Ecuadorian population.
* Reduction of the VAT from 15% to 12%.
* Rejection of the referendum and the constituent assembly called by President Noboa.
* Immediate release of more than 12 citizens detained during the protests.
The text reads, “The La Esperanza town, in Imbabura, is experiencing moments of tension. In one of the videos released from the area, mothers can be heard shouting, ‘Don’t shoot, we have children!’ amid the repression.”
Indigenous Organizations in Cañar Join the Protest
Also on Monday, the Provincial Union of Cañari Communities and Cooperatives (UPCCC) announced its immediate participation in the national strike called by CONAIE.
From Cañar province, the UPCCC issued a statement urging all social organizations to join protests against President Daniel Noboa and his economic policies.
To prevent smear campaigns and fake news, the Indigenous organization declared it would serve as “the sole spokesperson for protests taking place throughout Cañar province.”
The UPCCC also called for “humanitarian corridors” to guarantee access to food and healthcare in areas where the national strike is being met with the harshest repression by state forces.
It announced it would apply principles of customary Indigenous justice and traditional sanctions against state agents who infiltrate protests to disrupt them.
“We strongly reject the presence of the national government, through President Daniel Noboa or his delegate, in Kañari territory, as such acts seek to divide our communities with deceptions aimed at our people,” the Cañar Indigenous organization stated.
The text reads, “Ecuador, urgent: A murder on the national strike’s seventh day. The Ecuadorian human rights organization INREDH confirmed the murder of Efrain Fueres, an indigenous community member from Cotacachi.” The video shows the moment the soldiers beat some people who tried to help Fueres, who was lying on the ground.
Tungurahua Groups Reject Economic Policy
On Monday, the Parliament of Peoples and Social Sectors of Tungurahua called a mass march in rejection of the economic measures implemented by the Noboa administration.
The group also announced its adherence to the national strike underway in several provinces to defend social rights and demand the reinstatement of the diesel subsidy.
So far, the CONAIE-led national strike has left one demonstrator dead and dozens detained.
Noboa Not To Reverse His Decisions
On Monday, Presidential spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo said Noboa will not reverse the decision to eliminate the diesel subsidy.
“The Noboa administration is clear: We are not going to negotiate and we are not going to back down, because that would mean stopping direct aid to those who need it most,” she said, arguing that removing the subsidy frees up US$1.1 billion for social assistance.
According to Jaramillo, the Ecuadorian government has delivered the “Raices Grant” to 83,000 families, including 1,803 in Imbabura province, the current epicenter of protests now entering their second week.
The Noboa administration also said it has provided US$10.5 million to 865 transport operators in Imbabura, where it claims to have delivered 140 tractors to farmers.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – Pichincha Comunicaciones – CONAIE – TRC
