Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns the severe escalation of violence against journalists in Ecuador during the national strike. According to the NGO’s data, at least 55 journalists have been attacked since 22 September, the most recent of which left journalist and Apak TV producer Edison Muenala seriously injured. RSF calls for an immediate response and effective protection measures to ensure media professionals are not targeted while they carry out their work.
On 14 October, while documenting clashes between demonstrators and the military in Otavalo, a city in Imbabura province, Edison Muenala, a journalist for the community channel Apak TV, was hit by a bullet allegedly fired by a member of the armed forces. The Indigenous journalist from the Kichwa people, known for his intercultural and community-based reporting, sustained a shoulder injury. This attack occurred amid escalating tensions following the national strike called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) to protest Decree 126, issued by President Daniel Noboa, which introduces reforms to the Regulations on Hydrocarbon Derivatives Pricing and has resulted in a rise in diesel prices.
Press freedom violations have been documented in at least five Ecuadorian provinces, with incidents ranging from excessive use of force by state security to assaults by civilians, online harassment and administrative censorship. RSF and its local partners have so far documented 55 journalists attacked since the beginning of the national strike. Government spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo stated in a press conference on 13 October that “any failure to comply with protocol must be investigated.”
“RSF strongly condemns the shooting of Edison Muenala and the series of assaults suffered by journalists during the national strike in Ecuador. The organisation urges President Daniel Noboa and the Office of the Attorney General to open swift, impartial and transparent investigations to identify and punish those responsible and ensure these acts do not go unpunished. We call on the Ecuadorian authorities to guarantee effective protection measures for journalists — particularly community and Indigenous reporters — and to publicly reaffirm that press freedom and the right to information must be upheld even in times of crisis and social unrest.
Attacks and censorship across the country
The attacks documented by RSF and its partner organisations have been perpetrated both by state forces — including the National Police and the Armed Forces — and by civilian or unidentified actors. In addition to the assault on Edison Muenala, the most serious incidents include a violent episode on 12 October in the capital Quito, when at least six journalists were assaulted by police officers while covering protests. Santiago Gil, a drone operator for Ecuavisa TV, suffered a hand fracture after being struck by officers, and Gabriela Mena, from the television channel Telesur, had her mobile phone destroyed as she was physically assaulted.
On 14 October, in Imbabura, the vehicle of a news team from the TV channel Teleamazonas driven by journalist Karen Haro, was attacked with stones while following a government convoy delivering humanitarian aid. On 25 September, in the Azuay province, city of Cuenca, Nicole Torres, a journalist for the online outlet Camaleón, was intimidated by a police colonel and later harassed by civilians.
On top of these physical attacks, cyberattacks targeting media outlets such as Radio Pichincha, which reported over 116,000 attempts to intrude its website, and the national broadcast regulator’s temporary suspension of the Indigenous channel TV MICC — a measure considered a form of administrative censorship.
Weak protection mechanism
Although Ecuador established a state protection mechanism for journalists in 2023, most cases of attacks against the press remain uninvestigated or go unpunished. Without an allocated budget for the 2024–2025 period, the mechanism continues to face serious logistical challenges, resulting in delays and shortcomings in the implementation of protection measures. It is imperative to strengthen the state mechanism by adopting a robust legal framework, ensuring regular budgetary allocations, establishing a specialised technical team to manage security issues and implementing specific protocols to support journalists in vulnerable situations.
As a member of the Coordinating Committee for the Protection of Journalists (MAPP) since the beginning of 2025, RSF has worked alongside partner organisations to monitor cases of journalists whose lives and freedom are at imminent risk due to their work.
