7 - The Constituent Process in Ecuador

Summary

Between 1996 and the adoption of the new constitution under President Rafael Correa in 2006, Ecuador saw an unprecedented level of domestic instability. As the head of the Alianza Pais movement, President Correa pitched himself as an anti-establishment figure who needed to convene a constituent assembly for the “Citizen’s Revolution” to be a success. Correa’s crusade against the establishment had far-reaching consequences on Ecuador’s constitution-making process. Correa was often forced to play “hardball” with his opponents on the right and used popular mobilization to bolster his cause. The role of the people in the constitution-making process led to important gains for the indigenous community and the environment. However, the centrality of Correa’s views often hampered the effectiveness of the process as he sometimes stood at odds with his coalition or started fights with the media, such as on the issue of natural resources and the environment. The constitution-making and reform process in Ecuador was distinct from the “Pink-Tide” happening in the rest of Latin America and was typified by Ecuador’s particular conditions and recent history.