2023 Ecuadorian Yasuní National Park oil exploitation referendum

A referendum on banning oil exploitation in the Yasuní National Park was held in Ecuador on 20 August 2023 alongside general elections.[1][2] If the proposal was accepted, a progressive withdrawal of all activities related to oil extraction would occur within one year from the announcement of the official results, and the state would not be able to take action intending to initiate new contracts to continue oil exploration in the block. The referendum was a popular initiative demanded by indigenous communities for more than ten years before being finally validated by the Constitutional Court in May 2023.[3][4]

Yasuní popular consultation
20 August 2023
Do you agree with the Ecuadorian government keeping the ITT crude, known as block 43, underground indefinitely?
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 5,541,585 54.11%
No 3,859,507 37.68%
Blank votes 841,185 8.21%
Valid votes 10,242,277 94.69%
Invalid votes 574,471 5.31%
Total votes 10,816,748 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 13,045,553 82.92%
Source: CNE
Ballot used in the referendum
Yasuní National Park (green) on a map of Ecuador

The proposal was approved. The choice was seen as a blow to President Guillermo Lasso, who had advocated for drilling. State oil company Petroecuador will have to dismantle its drilling operations in the area in the coming months.[5][6]

Political campaign

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The positions presented by the various political and social organizations are as follows:[7]

Support Yes vote

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Support No vote

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  • AMIGO Movement
  • Confederación Intercultural de Pueblos y Nacionalidades del Ecuador Amaru

Position of presidential candidates

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The campaigns of Jan Topić, Yaku Pérez, Daniel Noboa Azín, Christian Zurita and Otto Sonnenholzner have indicated they support a yes vote in the referendum, while the campaigns of Bolívar Armijos, Xavier Hervas and Luisa González have indicated support for a no vote.[8]

Opinion polls

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Date Source Sample Yes No
06/07/2023 Comunicaliza[9] 3314 31% 21%
02/07/2023 Informe Confidencial[10] - 52% 37%
26/06/2023 Negocios & Estrategias[11] 3524 40% 33%

Results

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ChoiceVotes%
For5,541,58558.95
Against3,859,50741.05
Total9,401,092100.00
Valid votes9,401,09286.91
Invalid votes574,4715.31
Blank votes841,1857.78
Total votes10,816,748100.00
Registered voters/turnout13,045,55382.92
Source: CNE, DD

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ecuador's President Lasso accepts extradition referendum defeat". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  2. ^ "In Ecuador biosphere, battle lines form over mining plans". France 24. 2023-06-04. Archived from the original on 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  3. ^ "Indigenous defenders of oil in the Amazon - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 2023-07-02. Archived from the original on 2023-08-10. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  4. ^ "Oil extraction or biodiversity protection? The dilemma in Ecuador's upcoming referendum". ConstitutionNet. Archived from the original on 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  5. ^ "Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon, ending operations in protected area". AP News. 2023-08-21. Archived from the original on 2023-08-21. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  6. ^ Chivers, Danny (13 November 2023). "How Ecuadorians saved Yasuní". New Internationalist. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Nueve organizaciones podrán hacer campaña en consulta del Yasuní" (in Spanish). 2023-01-19. Archived from the original on 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  8. ^ Capa, Patricio (18 August 2023). "¿Qué dicen los candidatos presidenciales sobre la consulta del Yasuní?". Archived from the original on 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Campaña sobre consulta del bloque Yasuní ITT se mueve en redes sociales con argumentos por el Sí y por el No". El Universo (in Spanish). 14 July 2023. Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  10. ^ "¿Qué dice la última encuesta presidencial?". YouTube. Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  11. ^ "OUTSIDERS 03/07 - LOS NUEVOS NÚMEROS DE LA CARRERA PRESIDENCIAL". YouTube. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.