El referendo en el Ecuador rechaza el regreso al sistema de solución de controversias entre inversores y Estados, lo que subraya el apoyo público a una vía sostenible

In a referendum on April 21, Ecuadorian citizens voted to maintain Article 422 of the 2008 Constitution, which prohibits the use of international arbitration for disputes between Ecuador and foreign investors. This decision follows negative experiences with the ISDS system, including a 2012 ruling requiring payment of over $1.5 billion to Occidental Petroleum, which represented nearly 9% of the country's 2012 annual budget. The document asserts that ISDS mechanisms have historically hindered climate policies and social justice, particularly in the mining, oil, and gas sectors. The referendum result signals that any future investment treaties must provide adequate protection for the environment, local communities, and climate action.

• Ecuadorian citizens voted in a referendum on April 21 to keep Article 422 of the 2008 Constitution, which prevents the use of international arbitration to resolve conflicts between the state and foreign investors or individuals.
• The ISDS mechanism is described as having obstructed the right of states to regulate, as well as their efforts toward social justice and climate policies.
• Ecuador faced severe financial impacts from ISDS rulings, notably a 2012 order to pay the US company Occidental over $1.5 billion, an amount that exceeded the country's annual health budget by 135% and equaled nearly 9% of the total 2012 annual budget.
• The risks associated with ISDS are particularly acute in the oil, gas, and mining sectors, which are significant for foreign investment in Ecuador and have frequently been involved in exorbitant damage awards.
• The referendum outcome indicates that any future bilateral investment treaties or free trade agreement investment chapters must ensure protection for climate action, local communities, and the environment.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). El referendo en el Ecuador rechaza el regreso al sistema de solución de controversias entre inversores y Estados, lo que subraya el apoyo público a una vía sostenible. https://www.iisd.org/es/articles/statement/el-referendo-en-el-ecuador-rechaza-el-regreso-al-sistema-de-solucion-de

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. El referendo en el Ecuador rechaza el regreso al sistema de solución de controversias entre inversores y Estados, lo que subraya el apoyo público a una vía sostenible. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/es/articles/statement/el-referendo-en-el-ecuador-rechaza-el-regreso-al-sistema-de-solucion-de.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=El referendo en el Ecuador rechaza el regreso al sistema de solución de controversias entre inversores y Estados, lo que subraya el apoyo público a una vía sostenible |url=https://www.iisd.org/es/articles/statement/el-referendo-en-el-ecuador-rechaza-el-regreso-al-sistema-de-solucion-de |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndreferendo, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{El referendo en el Ecuador rechaza el regreso al sistema de solución de controversias entre inversores y Estados, lo que subraya el apoyo público a una vía sostenible}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/es/articles/statement/el-referendo-en-el-ecuador-rechaza-el-regreso-al-sistema-de-solucion-de}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }