Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador 2008, as amended to 2021
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    Indigenous communes, communities, peoples and nations are recognized and guaranteed, in conformity with the Constitution and human rights agreements, conventions, declarations and other international instruments, the following collective rights:
    …
    4. To keep ownership, without subject to a statute of limitations, of their community lands, which shall be unalienable, immune from seizure and indivisible. These lands shall be exempt from paying fees or taxes.
    5. To keep ownership of ancestral lands and territories and to obtain free awarding of these lands.
    6. To participate in the use, usufruct, administration and conservation of natural renewable resources located on their lands.
    …
    The territories of the peoples living in voluntary isolation are an irreducible and intangible ancestral possession and all forms of extractive activities shall be forbidden there. The State shall adopt measures to guarantee their lives, enforce respect for self-determination and the will to remain in isolation and to ensure observance of their rights. The violation of these rights shall constitute a crime of ethnocide, which shall be classified as such by law.
    The State shall guarantee the enforcement of these collective rights without any discrimination, in conditions of equality and equity between men and women. (Art. 57)
  • Spanish
    Se reconoce y garantizará a las comunas, comunidades, pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas, de conformidad con la Constitución y con los pactos, convenios, declaraciones y demás instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos, los siguientes derechos colectivos:
    …
    4. Conservar la propiedad imprescriptible de sus tierras comunitarias, que serán inalienables, inembargables e indivisibles. Estas tierras estarán exentas del pago de tasas e impuestos.
    5. Mantener la posesión de las tierras y territorios ancestrales y obtener su adjudicación gratuita.
    6. Participar en el uso, usufructo, administración y conservación de los recursos naturales renovables que se hallen en sus tierras.
    …
    Los territorios de los pueblos en aislamiento voluntario son de posesión ancestral irreductible e intangible, y en ellos estará vedada todo tipo de actividad extractiva. El Estado adoptará medidas para garantizar sus vidas, hacer respetar su autodeterminación y voluntad de permanecer en aislamiento, y precautelar la observancia de sus derechos. La violación de estos derechos constituirá delito de etnocidio, que será tipificado por la ley.
    El Estado garantizará la aplicación de estos derechos colectivos sin discriminación alguna, en condiciones de igualdad y equidad entre mujeres y hombres. (Art. 57)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    Ancestral, indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian and coastal back-country (montubios) peoples can establish territorial districts for the preservation of their culture. The law shall regulate their establishment.
    Communities (comunas) that have collective land ownership are recognized as an ancestral form of territorial organization. (Art. 60)
  • Spanish
    Los pueblos ancestrales, indígenas, afroecuatorianos y montubios podrán constituir circunscripciones territoriales para la preservación de su cultura. La ley regulará su conformación.
    Se reconoce a las comunas que tienen propiedad colectiva de la tierra, como una forma ancestral de organización territorial. (Art. 60)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    The following rights of persons are recognized and guaranteed:
    …
    26. The right to property in all of its forms, with social and environmental function and responsibility. The right to have access to property shall be enforced by the adoption of public policies, among other measures.
    … (Art. 66)
  • Spanish
    Se reconoce y garantizará a las personas:
    …
    26. El derecho a la propiedad en todas sus formas, con función y responsabilidad social y ambiental. El derecho al acceso a la propiedad se hará efectivo con la adopción de políticas públicas, entre otras medidas.
    … (Art. 66)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    To protect the rights of persons who are members of a family:
    …
    2. Unseizable family assets are recognized in terms of amount and on the basis of the conditions and limitations provided for by law. The right to give in legacy and inherit is recognized.
    3. The State shall guarantee the equality of rights in decision making for the administration of the marital partnership and the joint ownership of assets.
    … (Art. 69)
  • Spanish
    Para proteger los derechos de las personas integrantes de la familia:
    …
    2. Se reconoce el patrimonio familiar inembargable en la cuantía y con las condiciones y limitaciones que establezca la ley. Se garantizará el derecho de testar y de heredar.
    3. El Estado garantizará la igualdad de derechos en la toma de decisiones para la administración de la sociedad conyugal y de la sociedad de bienes.
    … (Art. 69)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    The State recognizes and guarantees the right to property in all of its forms, whether public, private, community, State, associative, cooperative or mixed- economy, and that it must fulfill its social and environmental role. (Art. 321)
  • Spanish
    El Estado reconoce y garantiza el derecho a la propiedad en sus formas pública, privada, comunitaria, estatal, asociativa, cooperativa, mixta, y que deberá cumplir su función social y ambiental. (Art. 321)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
  • English
    The State shall guarantee equal rights and equal opportunity to men and women in access to property and decision-making in the management of their common marital estate. (Art. 324)
  • Spanish
    El Estado garantizará la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades de mujeres y hombres en el acceso a la propiedad y en la toma de decisiones para la administración de la sociedad conyugal. (Art. 324)
Links to all sites last visited 9 February 2024
3

Art. 261 as reinstated after the 2018 Judgment of the Constitutional Court.

4
Art. 142 as reinstated after the 2018 Judgment of the Constitutional Court.
5
Art. 142 as reinstated after the 2018 Judgment of the Constitutional Court.
6
Art. 261 as reinstated after the 2018 Judgment of the Constitutional Court.