2024-08-30 19:08:33
The Extraordinary Assembly of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), which took place in Quito On Saturday, July 20, 2024, Leonidas Iza was elected as the presidential candidate. The Conaie, which represents indigenous groups from the Sierra, the Coast and the Amazon, ended its meeting after two days of analysis.
Apawki Castro, an important leader, announced on his X account that Iza will be a candidate. He stressed that there was an agreement between the different peoples and groups of Ecuador.
In addition to deciding on the candidate, the assembly discussed political, economic and social issues, and also talked about possible protests against the government of Daniel Noboa. Leaders of Ecuarunari, Conaice and Confeniae participated in the meeting.
Who is Leonidas Iza?
Leonidas Iza was born in 1982 in San Ignacio, Cotopaxi, and is the son of José María Iza Viracocha, an indigenous leader.
He studied environmental engineering at the Technical University of Cotopaxi. Before becoming the leader of the Conaie, he was president of the Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC). He belongs to the Kichwa nationality and to the Panzaleo people.
Iza has been a central figure in indigenous protests in Ecuador:
2019 protests: Iza led protests against former President Lenín Moreno’s economic measure, which eliminated fuel subsidies. The protests, which lasted 11 days, left seven dead, more than 1,300 injured and more than 1,000 people arrested.
2022 Protests: In June 2022, Iza led a series of protests against the government of President Guillermo Lasso. The demonstrations focused on rising fuel prices, unemployment, and crime. During the protests, Iza was briefly detained for allegedly blocking roads, but was later released with some restrictions.
By: Ecuador Live