Ecuadorian Government’s ‘Humanitarian Convoy’ Sparks Crackdown in Otavalo

Human rights defenders report excessive force and arbitrary arrests during military operations.

On Tuesday, residents of Otavalo, a canton in Ecuador’s Imbabura province, awoke to another day of repression as security forces under President Daniel Noboa implemented the so-called “Humanitarian Convoy.”

Human rights defenders reported that state forces entered the area using disproportionate force, creating chaos and panic and carrying out multiple arbitrary detentions.

Videos shared on social media show clouds of tear gas, explosions and screams, as well as members of the security forces dressed in civilian clothing and wearing face coverings.

“Lenin Farinango, a leader of the Kichwa Karanki people, was injured by the direct impact of a tear gas canister during the military operation in La Esperanza,” the digital outlet Vertice reported.

“The arrival of a military convoy announced as part of a ‘humanitarian aid’ mission led to violent clashes with demonstrators at the northern and southern entrances to the city of Ibarra,” Radio Sonorama reported.

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The text reads, “CONAIE warns that soldiers and police are firing tear gas into homes around Otavalo School and nearby neighborhoods. This Tuesday, October 14, marks the 23rd day of the 2025 national strike.”

From Otavalo, Interior Minister John Reimberg said security forces would remain in Imbabura province despite ongoing protests.

“We will be here as long as necessary. We will stay until everything returns to normal,” he said, confirming that six protesters had been arrested.

Early Tuesday morning, shortly before 4 a.m., the so-called “Humanitarian Caravan” departed from the city of Ibarra toward Otavalo along the Pan-American Highway, which has been closed due to protests since Sept. 22, according to Radio Centro.

Ecuador’s Ombudsman’s Office is assessing whether to open an investigation into possible human rights violations, while community leaders are demanding the immediate withdrawal of military forces from the territory.

“This is not a humanitarian operation but a punitive offensive against communities that have resisted the Noboa administration’s economic policies,” spokespeople for Indigenous groups said.

The text reads, “An elderly man, a victim of government repression, calls on Otavalo to rise up and fight for its rights. National strike 2025.”

Otavalo, known for its artisan market and community-based economy, has historically been a stronghold of social resistance. The military incursion has been accompanied by abuses against residents that have been documented on social media.

“Children and adults have been attacked. Otavalo is a battlefield. Children and the elderly are affected after the military launched tear gas into homes. There is desperation among the population,” the news platform Somos Estrategia reported.

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) and the United Workers Front (FUT) have called an emergency assembly to consider a national response to the “authoritarian setback” and the criminalization of the Indigenous movement.

(Telesur)