The History of Ecuador extends over an 8,000-year period. During this time, a variety of cultures and territories influenced what has become the Republic of Ecuador. The history can be divided into six eras: Pre-Columbian, the Conquest, the Colonial Period, the War of Independence, Gran Colombia and Simón Bolívar, and the final separation of his vision into what is known today as the Republic of Ecuador.
Lucio Edwin Gutiérrez Borbúa served as 43rd President of Ecuador from 15 January 2003 to 20 April 2005.
The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or, more commonly, CONAIE, is Ecuador's largest indigenous rights organization. Formed in 1986, CONAIE has pursued social change on behalf of the region's significant native population using a wide range of tactics, including direct action. CONAIE is most well known for its organization of popular uprisings that have been known to include blockading of commercial arteries and the seizure and occupation of government buildings.
The Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement – New Country is a left wing indigenist party in Ecuador. It was founded primarily as a way to advance the interests of a wide variety of indigenous peoples' organizations throughout Ecuador.
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado, known as Rafael Correa, is an Ecuadorian politician and economist who served as President of Ecuador from 2007 to 2017. The leader of the PAIS Alliance political movement from its foundation until 2017, Correa is a democratic socialist and his administration focused on the implementation of left-wing policies. Internationally, he served as president pro tempore of the UNASUR.
Lenín Boltaire Moreno Garcés is an Ecuadorian politician who served as the 46th president of Ecuador, from 2017 to 2021. Moreno was vice president from 2007 to 2013, serving under President Rafael Correa.
PAIS Alliance is a centre-left social democratic political party in Ecuador. In 2016, it had 979,691 members.
Mining had a very small impact on the Ecuadorian economy back in the 1980s, contributing only 0.7 percent to the GDP in 1986 and employing around 7,000 people. Minerals were located in regions with little to no access, thus exploration activities were hindered. Although it was believed that Ecuador had reserves of gold, silver, copper, zinc, uranium, lead, sulfur, kaolin and limestone, the latter practically dominated the industry as it was used in local cement plants.
Corriente Resources is a multinational corporation based in Canada that plans to open an open-pit copper mine in the Ecuadorian rainforest.
The 2010 Ecuador crisis took place on 30 September 2010, when elements of the National Police blockaded highways, occupied the National Parliament, blocked the Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito and the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil, and took over TV Ecuador's station, in what they claimed was a strike to oppose a government-sponsored law that supposedly reduced their benefits. Unrest and looting was reported in seven provincial capitals of the country due to the lack of law enforcement.
The 2000 Ecuadorian coup d'état took place on 21 January 2000 and resulted in President Jamil Mahuad being deposed, and replaced by Vice President Gustavo Noboa. The coup coalition brought together a short-lived junta composed by the country's most powerful indigenous group, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), and a group of junior military officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Lucio Gutiérrez.
The 2011 Bolivian protests were a series of demonstrations by indigenous peoples who opposed the construction of the Villa Tunari – San Ignacio de Moxos Highway through the Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory, the ancestral lands of over 12,000 indigenous residents, from the Chimane, Yuracaré, and Mojeño-Trinitario peoples. The subcentral TIPNIS, the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB), and the highland indigenous confederation CONAMAQ—supported by other indigenous and environmental groups—organised a march from Trinidad, Beni to the national capital La Paz in opposition to the project, beginning on 15 August 2011.
Guillermo Alberto Santiago Lasso Mendoza is an Ecuadorian businessman, banker, writer and politician who serves as the 47th president of Ecuador since 24 May 2021. He is the country's first centre-right president in nearly two decades, marking a shift in the country's electorate.
Erika Sylva Charvet is an Ecuadorian politician who was Minister of Culture from 21 April 2010 until 9 May 2013.
The Mirador mine is a large copper mine located in the south of Ecuador in Zamora-Chinchipe Province. Mirador represents one of the largest copper reserves in Ecuador and in the world, having estimated reserves of 673 million tonnes of ore grading 0.66% copper, 4.09 million oz of gold and 32.3 million oz of silver.
Empresa Nacional Minera is an Ecuadorian state-owned mining company based in Quito. It was created in 2010 by a decree signed by the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa.
The 2015 Ecuadorian protests were a series of protests against the inheritance tax laws introduced by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. The protests began during the first week of June; becoming more organized and growing to hundreds of people on 8 June 2015. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Ecuadorians protested throughout Ecuador against President Correa and the controversial inheritance tax laws he introduced. The opposition and demonstrators protested stating that Correa wanted to follow "the same path as Venezuela’s government", creating a "criminal war of classes" while President Correa stated that the protests were aimed at destabilizing the government and such measures were for combatting inequality.
The Saraguro is a people of the Kichwa nation most of whom live in Saraguro Canton in the Loja Province of Ecuador. Although most now speak Spanish, Runashimi or Kichwa, a Quechua dialect, is also spoken and language revitalization efforts are being implemented. Likewise, the Saraguro have retained much of their land, customs and traditional dress. According to the INEC's 2010 population census, the total population of Saraguro canton is 30,183, but that total includes both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living in Saraguro.
The 2019 Ecuadorian protests were a series of protests and riots against austerity measures including the cancellation of fuel subsidies, adopted by President of Ecuador Lenín Moreno and his administration. Organized protests ceased after indigenous groups and the Ecuadorian government reached a deal to reverse the austerity measures, beginning a collaboration on how to combat overspending and public debt.
A series of protests against the economic policies of Ecuadorian president Guillermo Lasso, triggered by increasing fuel and food prices, began on 13 June 2022. Initiated by and primarily attended by Indigenous activists, in particular the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the protests have since been joined by students and workers who have also been affected by the price increases. Lasso has condemned the protests and labelled them as an attempted "coup d'état" against his government.
