Ecuador's Government Is Still Pumping Oil in Yasuní — Despite a Referendum and a Court Order

The Background

In August 2023, Ecuadorians voted in a national referendum to halt oil extraction in Block 43 (also known as ITT) within Yasuní National Park — one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and home to the Tagaeri and Taromenane, indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation.

The vote was clear: 59% said stop drilling. It was a landmark moment in global environmental politics — the first time a country's citizens voted to leave oil in the ground.

In March 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an order reinforcing the mandate: stop operations, revoke environmental licenses, begin withdrawing infrastructure.

What's Actually Happening

According to a Human Rights Watch report published March 16, 2026:

• Oil production in Block 43 continues at approximately 1.24 million barrels per month throughout 2025 and into 2026
• Environmental licenses have not been revoked
• Infrastructure withdrawal has not begun
• The Tagaeri and Taromenane remain exposed to the same threats the referendum and court order were supposed to eliminate
• The government has cited economic necessity and technical complexity as reasons for the delay

In short: the referendum result and the court order are being defied.

Why This Is Complicated

Block 43 produces a meaningful share of Ecuador's oil output. The government argues that an abrupt shutdown would:

• Cost hundreds of millions in lost revenue
• Eliminate thousands of jobs in the Amazon region
• Create environmental risks from abandoned infrastructure (wells need to be properly sealed)

Critics counter that the government has had over two years since the referendum to develop a transition plan and has done essentially nothing.

What This Means for Expats

This story matters on several levels:

If you care about Ecuador's environment and indigenous rights:

• The Yasuní referendum was a source of national pride. Its non-implementation is a growing source of frustration among environmental groups and indigenous organizations
• Expect protests and legal challenges to intensify

If you follow Ecuador's economy:

• Oil revenue remains critical to the national budget, even as non-oil exports (shrimp, cocoa) have surged
• The tension between environmental commitments and fiscal needs is one of the defining policy conflicts of the Noboa administration

If you're politically engaged:

• This is one of the clearest examples of a gap between democratic mandate and government action in Ecuador
• It's being watched internationally — the HRW report ensures that

Sources: Human Rights Watch, JURIST