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Leaders of Ecuador’s Waorani Indigenous community gathered at Quito’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday, urging recognition of territorial rights threatened by government-backed oil projects.
The Waorani delegation, including spiritual figures, demanded assurances of prior consultation before any exploration affecting approximately 180,000 hectares of ancestral land in Pastaza proceeds.
Indigenous representatives fear that oil extraction could devastate ecosystems, disrupt their traditional way of life, and endanger isolated tribes living deep within the Amazon rainforest.
The government insists oil expansion is vital for economic growth, but opponents argue it risks cultural erosion and ecological disaster.
