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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

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