CONAIE (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador)
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador, CONAIE) was founded in 1986 and represents 14 indigenous nationalities and 18 peoples across the Ecuadorian Amazon, highlands, and coast. It is one of the most influential indigenous governance bodies in Latin America, operating not only as an advocacy organisation but as a governance actor with territorial jurisdiction and a recognised parallel justice system.
CONAIE was a principal drafter of Ecuador's 2008 constitution — the first in the world to constitutionalise sumak kawsay (Kichwa: "living well") as a governance principle and to recognise rights of nature (Pachamama) as constitutionally enforceable. The constitution also established Ecuador as a plurinational state, recognising indigenous juridical and governance systems as co-equal with state institutions in their territories.
Governance role
CONAIE does not merely lobby the Ecuadorian state — it administers governance functions in indigenous territories:
- Operates indigenous justice systems (recognised under the 2008 constitution) handling land disputes, community conflicts, and local governance matters
- Coordinates territorial management across Amazon nationalities
- Maintains political representation structures that operate in parallel with the Ecuadorian electoral system
- Has convened and led national levantamientos (uprisings) that have directly changed national policy — most recently in 2022, when a 18-day uprising secured fuel price reversals and a formal dialogue process with the government
Key people
- Leonidas Iza — led CONAIE from June 2021 until July 2025, including the 2022 national uprising; ran for President of Ecuador in the 2025 general election (placed third).
- Marlon Vargas — elected CONAIE president for the 2025–2028 term at the confederation's eighth congress on 20 July 2025, defeating Iza 617 votes to 540. A former president of the Amazon affiliate Confeniae. (El Comercio; Peoples Dispatch)
Links
- Website: conaie.org