The Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Cotopaxi (MICC) has reported an alarming assassination attempt against Leonidas Iza, the former president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and recent presidential candidate for Pachakutik. According to MICC, agents from the General Directorate of Intelligence stormed the community of San Ignacio, sowing panic and directly threatening Iza’s life, reports 24brussels.
The MICC described this incident as part of a systematic campaign of persecution, intimidation, and defamation against Indigenous leadership. The organization explicitly holds President Daniel Noboa accountable for any potential harm to Iza or other Indigenous leaders.
Iza, a significant Kichwa-Panzaleo activist, shared his experience at a press conference, detailing how two individuals—allegedly police officers—pursued him in a taxi. “I stepped into the street to stop the vehicle. It accelerated toward me, and the driver halted, but the officers shouted at him to run me over,” he recounted.
The MICC has declared an ongoing assembly to demand accountability and denounce what they term state authoritarianism. The movement urged national and international actors to issue a “red alert” regarding the escalating threats faced by Indigenous leaders.
A History of Resistance
Leonidas Iza gained national attention during the 2019 protests against austerity measures and was controversially detained during a national strike in 2022. His leadership has been a constant challenge to conservative governments, bolstering his role as a key figure in Ecuador’s Indigenous resistance.
In the 2025 presidential elections, Iza received approximately 5% of the vote, a crucial factor influencing the runoff results. He has since criticized President Noboa for authoritarian inclinations and repressing Indigenous movements.
Noboa’s Security Strategy Under Fire
Since assuming the presidency in November 2023, President Noboa has declared an “internal armed conflict”, which has led to a militarized crackdown on crime and, critics argue, civil society. Human rights organizations have reported that this approach has undermined constitutional protections and intensified repression against social movements.
Environmental and Indigenous groups have also condemned Noboa’s decision to dismantle the Ministry of Environment, merging it with Energy and Mines—a move regarded as facilitating expanded extractivism. A recent oil agreement with Peru has raised significant concerns over drilling in vulnerable Amazonian regions without proper Indigenous consultation.
During international forums such as COP16, activists have raised alarms over a surge in lethal attacks against Indigenous leaders, linking the violence to the impunity cultivated by the current administration.
