“We receive these news with great joy, since this amends the wrong and unconstitutional administrative decision that had withdrawn our registration, and allows us to go back to our work as a non-governmental organization”, stated Acción Ecológica in a statement.

Real World Radio talked to the chair of the environmentalist group, Ivonne Ramos, who highlighted the role played by different people, networks and organizations throughout the world, to denounce the unfair decision which was repealed today. Among the actions carried out Ramos mentioned the letter written by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano to Ecuador´s President, Rafael Correa, asking him to render the decision null. In the letter, the author of Open Veins of Latin America, stated: ““Dear Rafael, My friends are telling me that the organization Acción Ecológica has been closed by an official decision. It´s hard for me to believe it. I hope it´s not true.”

Moreover, Ivonne Ramos thinks Acción Ecológica has been consistent in their 23 years of life with their principles, and thus the arguments in favor of withdrawing its registration as an NGO were lacking grounds. Although she recognized the authority of the government to manage the activities of NGOs, Ramos points out that this should have been a purely administrative issue, and it should not have acquired political elements.

In another part of the interview, Ivonne Ramos described the environmental situation of her country, and denounced the policies implemented by Rafael Correa, considering them “exclusively extractive”.

“We are a diverse, agricultural country, with many economic activities, not exclusively mining or monoculture plantations”, told Ramos to Real World Radio.