The Court’s function is to exercise constitutional oversight, not to please whoever is in power, the Indigenous movement said. On Wednesday, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) accused President Daniel Noboa of attempting to delegitimize and weaken the independence of the Constitutional Court (CC), after the country’s highest tribunal temporarily suspended several articles from various laws promoted by the right-wing politician.

“We are alarmed by the reaction of Government Minister Zaida Rovira and National Assembly President Niels Olsen, who, surrounded by police officers—instead of respecting the Court’s decision—accuse it of favoring organized crime,” CONAIE said in a statement.

“This perverse narrative seeks to delegitimize the Court, weaken its independence, and justify a political offensive against constitutional justice. The Court’s primary function is to exercise constitutional oversight, not to please whoever is in power,” it added. CONAIE rejected what it called an attempt to undermine democratic institutions and emphasized that “neither the Constitutional Court nor critical dissenting voices are serving any criminal group.”

On Monday, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador decided to temporarily suspend several articles from laws presented by Noboa under the designation of “urgent,” which required the Assembly to approve each law within 30 days.

Among the suspended provisions are those in the Intelligence Law that would allow undercover agents to assume false identities, permit the national intelligence system to request information on any citizen from telecom companies, and authorize the use of funds without complying with public procurement laws.

Regarding the National Solidarity Law—initially aimed at increasing resources for security forces combating organized crime—the Court suspended an article granting Noboa the prerogative of “preemptive pardons” for police and military personnel prosecuted for crimes committed under the “internal armed conflict” declared by the president against criminal gangs earlier in 2024.

Constitutional judges also suspended provisions related to the creation of a special legal regime under the “internal armed conflict” designation, which outlined a series of military objectives for law enforcement agencies. These measures were widely criticized by social organizations, human rights advocates, and labor unions, who filed dozens of constitutional challenges, arguing that the laws violated various rights.

However, following the Court’s announcement, government officials Rovira and Olsen denounced the decision in a public statement—delivered while flanked by police and military officers—and accused the judges of siding with the “enemies of the people.”

CONAIE welcomed the Court’s decision, asserting that the laws “contain openly unconstitutional provisions that threaten fundamental rights.”

“With laws fast-tracked under the guise of ‘economic urgency,’ the government has sought to concentrate state control, expanding its ability to impose decisions without democratic debate,” the organization said.

CONAIE urged the Constitutional Court to maintain its independence and uphold the Constitution in the face of other proposals by Noboa, such as the Protected Areas Law and the Law for the Control of Irregular Capital Flows, which, it warned, threaten collective rights, ancestral territories, and the rights of nature.

“Now more than ever, it is essential to defend the independence of the Constitutional Court as a guarantor of rights, balance among branches of political power, and true democracy,” concluded CONAIE, which led mass protests in 2019 and 2022 against former presidents Lenin Moreno and Guillermo Lasso, respectively.

She is the daughter of Carlos Pizarro, the presidential candidate of the M19 who was killed in 1990. On Monday, leftist Senator Maria Jose Pizarro confirmed she will run as a presidential pre-candidate in the governing Historic Pact coalition’s primary, set for October.

“I’m here because I come from a lineage that gave even its own life to build a Colombia that seeks peace through social justice. I’m here as the daughter of a history that belongs to all of us,” said the lawmaker, daughter of the late presidential candidate and former M-19 guerrilla commander Carlos Pizarro.

“We have a transformation to continue, because I am the change that continues,” she said, referencing the administration of President Gustavo Petro, who promised sweeping social reforms during his four-year term, set to end on Aug. 7, 2026.

“Colombia must have its first female head of state, one who brings peace, unity, capability, compassion—and above all, care. I am here because I will be the first woman president of Colombia,” Pizarro added.

The event featured videos supporting her presidential bid, including messages from international political figures. One of them came from former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

“I know Maria Jose well. She represents hope and the future. She stands for a path toward a Colombia of equality, of women’s rights, of workers’ rights—a future of peace and coexistence. The Colombia that so many have fought and died for. Maria Jose Pizarro is the option for the future. She has my support,” he said.

Similarly, former second deputy prime minister of Spain, Pablo Iglesias, urged citizens of the Andean country to support Pizarro “so that she becomes the first female president of Colombia.”

“At a time when the far-right threatens democracies around the world… Maria Jose represents the hopes for transformation not only of the Colombian people, but of the entire Latin American community,” Iglesias said.

“The national oligarchy murdered him 30 years ago. Generous, bold, rebel and defender of workers. He believed in peace. He invited us to believe in Colombia. On his behalf, we are also going to transform this country. Word that Yes! Long live Carlos Pizarro!”

A Slogan That Echoes Her Father’s Legacy

Her campaign slogan, “Pizarro Yes!”, evokes “Word That Says Yes!,” the motto her father used during his 1990 presidential campaign after laying down arms. He was assassinated on a flight in April of that year while traveling to Barranquilla for a campaign event.

In July, during a national convention held in Bogota, the Historic Pact decided it would choose its presidential nominee through an open primary in October.

In addition to Pizarro, other contenders seeking the Historic Pact nomination include former ministers Carolina Corcho and Susana Muhamad, as well as former Medellin mayor Daniel Quintero.

Also joining the race are Sen. Gloria Florez, attorney and social leader Ali Bantu Ashanti, and Gustavo Bolivar, former head of the Department for Social Prosperity.

The winner of that primary will face the pre-candidates of the so-called broad front—a coalition of other leftist forces—in March 2026. Known for her strong advocacy for the peace agreement, Pizarro was the one who placed the presidential sash on Petro during his inauguration on Aug. 7, 2022.