Marlon Santi is a historic leader of Sarayaku, and Ecuador’s indigenous movement. He was instrumental in the Sarayaku’s resistance to oil drilling plans, and led the organization of peace camps that monitored and ultimately kicked out the oil company. The Saryaku v. Ecuador case was brought to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission under his tenure as Sarayaku President. He most recently led Ecuador’s national indigenous conferedation CONAIE – one of the post powerful indigenous movements in South America, having overthrown several governments through popular uprising, and de-railed several free trade agreements. Under Santi’s leadership, CONAIE beat back several repressive government policies on water and education. Santi has been persecuted for his leadership, and still faces several trumped up charges for leading non-violent protests against the government. Santi has been a vocal advocate for indigenous rights in the UNFCCC climate negotiations at COP 15 and 16 in Copenhagen, and Cancun respectively.
