Original article: Ecuador: denuncian que el Estado se usa para perseguir a periodistas, dirigentes sociales y oposición
The Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDH) has reported a concerning trend in Ecuador, identifying a systematic use of state institutions to control, persecute, silence, and imprison journalists whose views are inconvenient to current officials; social leaders opposing programs that endanger their communities; and those exercising political opposition to the government of Daniel Noboa.
The CDH has raised alarms regarding what it describes as a troubling democratic decline, highlighting a systematic pattern of utilizing state institutions to harass, silence, and criminalize critical journalists, social leaders, and political opponents amidst increasing militarization and constitutional rights violations.
In a statement, the CDH outlines a reality that, according to its analysis, undermines democratic coexistence in the South American nation. The organization, noted for its long-standing commitment to fundamental rights advocacy, directly implicates the state apparatus as a tool for political coercion.
«The CDH expresses its concern over the growing signs of governmental authoritarianism in Ecuador and warns the national and international community about a series of events that distort democratic coexistence in our society and restrict the constitutional right to criticize government actions and engage in democratic opposition to its policies,» the statement reads.
The central assertion from the Committee is the evidence of a recurring modus operandi based on the «use of various branches of the Ecuadorian state apparatus that operate in service of the Executive to control, persecute, silence, and imprison journalists whose opinions are inconvenient to current officials; to neutralize social leaders who democratically oppose programs affecting their communities; and to silence individuals exercising political opposition in the country.»
State Assault on Press Freedom
One focus of the statement is the attacks on media outlets and journalists. The CDH references the case of the daily newspaper Expreso, one of the most influential publications on Ecuador’s coast. According to the statement, the response from Daniel Noboa’s government to the newspaper’s critical stance was swift, deploying administrative and fiscal mechanisms.
«In response to the critical editorial line of the newspaper Expreso, the regime reacted with an administrative process at the SRI,» it accused.
This allegation gains significance given recent events, as Gráficos Nacionales S.A. (GRANASA), publisher of Expreso and Extra, publicly denounced what it perceives as an attempt by the Noboa government to bend its editorial line. On January 1, 2026, the company detailed a series of actions including an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service (SRI) related to the 2023 tax year, a pre-investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office for an alleged money laundering crime they deem «nonexistent,» and an inspection by the Superintendency of Companies to review stock records, seemingly to reverse a share transfer.
Additionally, the CDH’s statement raises alarms regarding the military’s response to reports examining the purchase of a radar system.
«In response to a series of reports examining the purchase of military radar, the Armed Forces issued an official censorship directive establishing which media can be accredited to receive official information and compiled a concerning list of journalists and outlets unfavored by the Minister of Defense and the Chiefs of the Armed Forces,» the organization noted.
This assertion has been supported by the Inter-American Press Association (SIP), which issued a statement on February 11, alerting about a new «control system» and «prior censorship» in Ecuador. The SIP cited reports indicating that the commander of the Armed Forces Joint Command had ordered evaluations of journalists for any coverage, directing that «accreditation be avoided for media and communicators with opposing views» and categorizing publications as «aligned, neutral, or critical.»
Prominent Cases of Persecution
The CDH’s statement details a range of specific cases illustrating this pattern of harassment. Among them stands out the case of communicator and political activist Gabriela Panchana. The complaint asserts that after sharply criticizing the controversial president of the Judiciary Council, Mario Godoy, she faced an inquiry for tax fraud, coordinated by the SRI and the Prosecutor’s Office.
The list extends to other women defenders of rights. The document mentions the cases of «Catrina Cala and Mónica Silva Koniuszek, president of the Integrity Foundation, who has denounced serious irregularities by authorities in Santa Elena province.»
Social and political leadership is also ensnared in this crackdown. The CDH states that «former president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) and former presidential candidate, Leónidas Iza Salazar, is also subjected to multiple inquiries by the Prosecutor’s Office, in addition to claiming surveillance by undercover police agents.»
Moreover, in a context of social conflict, the organization warns that «in opaque actions, the funds and bank accounts of dozens of activists linked to social organizations participating in the previous national strike have been blocked.»
The electoral authority is also implicated as part of this strategy. «The National Electoral Council has opened processes against the environmentalist collective ‘Yasunidos’ and initiated others that could lead to the elimination of electoral registration for opposition parties and the suppression of political rights, including those of former presidential candidate Luisa González.»
Criminal Case Against the Mayor of Guayaquil
The CDH’s statement emphasizes a particularly recent case, which they regard as a demonstration of the level of coercion reached. This concerns the mayor of Guayaquil, Aquiles Álvarez, a significant political figure and opponent of Noboa’s government.
«The latest case is the new criminal charge opened by the Attorney General’s Office against the mayor of Guayaquil, Aquiles Álvarez,» the text states. The organization questions not only the existence of the case but also the disproportionate manner in which the notification was executed.
«The manner of executing his notification is concerning: through a police operation at his home in the early hours of the morning,» the Committee condemned, emphasizing the lack of necessity for such an extreme measure.
«This procedure appears disproportionate given that the mayor was already involved in another criminal case and was regularly appearing before the Prosecutor’s Office,» it indicated.
However, what raises the level of concern is the imposition of the most severe precautionary measure.
«Additionally, there is a preventive detention order in a national penitentiary context widely recognized for the presence and control of organized crime groups (GDO), which heightens risks to his safety and life,» the CDH emphasized.
Militarization, Arrests, and Disappearances
The statement does not limit its focus to cases of political and media persecution, but frames them within a state policy deemed dangerous: «A context of increasing militarization of society, adopted by the government as a response to the violence generated by organized crime groups, violence that, instead of diminishing, persists.»
The CDH warns that this security strategy «has led to serious allegations: thus far, at least 44 individuals have been detained and later disappeared following operations conducted by Armed Forces personnel, including children, adolescents, and women.»
Violations of the Ecuadorian Constitution
Finally, the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights issued a call for reflection and action, reminding of the constitutional mandate and the popular will expressed at the polls.
«The CDH expresses its concern about this series of events that constitute a violation of the democratic nature guaranteed by our Constitution, reaffirmed in the recent Popular Consultation,» the statement concludes, condemning that «the administration of justice must be free from political interference and the state apparatus cannot continue to be functional for the purposes of political persecution.»
The CDH’s denunciation joins voices from press associations and international organizations increasingly troubled by the country’s direction, in a scenario where the boundaries between security and authoritarianism appear to blur dangerously.