Reflections from the seminar “Political instability: immediate consequences”
On 3 April, the fourth seminar took place as part of our project VOCES – Civil society voices for a more sustainable democracy: dialogue between Europe and Latin America. In this case, it was held under the title “Political instability: immediate consequences”. This event counted with the outstanding participation of María Fernanda Poveda, who participated in the VOCES project with her contribution entitled “The so-called internal armed conflict in Ecuador: crisis in the Middle of the World”. María Fernanda shared with the participants a few words that shed light on the complex situation that Ecuador is currently going through.
The focus of Poveda’s intervention was the recent internal armed conflict in Ecuador. He argued that this conflict may not be being managed in accordance with the standards of International Humanitarian Law. According to his observations and research, the government’s plan to eradicate internal violence is not producing the expected results; on the contrary, the country is experiencing an increase in violence.
In addition, María Fernanda highlighted allegations of alleged humiliating treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, which could constitute a serious violation of human rights that would be contrary to international humanitarian law. These allegations call into question the government’s commitment to the protection of the fundamental rights of all citizens.
The speaker also stressed the importance of historical memory as a tool to prevent future human rights violations. If we remember that serious crimes against humanity were committed in the past, we can realise that if we do not fight for our rights today, we may be susceptible to those crimes again.
Finally, Poveda addressed the worrying situation of the press in Ecuador. He pointed to the existence of media outlets that allegedly distort information to favour the government, leaving the public vulnerable to manipulation of information. This situation raises serious questions about the full exercise of democracy and the guarantee of an informed and transparent public debate.
All in all, the seminar provided a crucial platform to discuss and reflect on the importance of human rights defenders and to confront possible violations and crimes against our rights. Maria Fernanda’s words invited us to action, reminding us of the importance of defending democratic principles and human rights at all times.
A recording of the seminar is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLMOGOEqRhk
Contribution of María Fernanda Poveda: https://fibgar.es/voces/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Maria-Fernanda-DEFINITIVO.pdf
Carmen Coleto Martínez, Junior Project Manager
