Event Summary
During the course of the National Strike called by the Indigenous movement on 18 September 2025, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) denounced the freezing of the bank accounts of the organization Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC), and several of their leaders. According to a statement published on its profile on the social media platform X, CONAIE reported that the Superintendency of Banks took this measure without following due process and under direct orders from the national government. In the same statement, the Confederation said this strategy responds to an attempt by the government to “criminalize social protest and weaken the demands of the country’s peoples and nationalities.” Civil society organizations such as Yasunidos and Cabildo por el Agua de Cuenca also reported account freezes. Neither the financial institutions nor those affected received any explanation regarding the judicial basis behind the freezes.
In an interview, Minister of the Interior John Reimberg confirmed that the government was aware of the bank account freezes, arguing that they were carried out because the demonstrators “have people behind them who seek to destabilize and provoke chaos.” He later claimed that the account freezes were imposed because foundations were allegedly financing acts of violence. Reimberg did not provide further details or evidence to support these claims.
These measures, taken unilaterally and without following the proper judicial procedure, represent a serious violation of the right to freedom of association and assembly; furthermore, they constitute a setback in the protection afforded to Ecuadorian CSOs against external interference and in their ability to access resources.