Deception as a strategy for the exploitation of Yasuní.

Profile picture of the fraudulent page used as a deception strategy to thousands of Ecuadorians.

ANALYSIS and OPINION: Valerinho from the beach

August 2013: DO NOT TOUCH THE YASUNI is without a doubt the biggest social media scam perpetrated in Ecuador to date. With a huge expenditure on advertising on the social network (only possible when there is a great economic interest behind it) this fan page managed to reach more than 40,000 fans in just a few days who are eager to prevent the Yasuní from actually being touched.

The true objective of the fraudulent page was revealed a few minutes after Ecuadorian President R. Correa made the long-awaited announcement about his intention to exploit the ITT block in the Yasuní National Park. Almost simultaneously, the fan page launched a call for support for the government's decision; suddenly, the "DO NOT TOUCH THE YASUNI" was transformed almost immediately into "let's exploit it responsibly."

The rain of criticism and messages of disapproval of this tremendous deception, possibly orchestrated (in my opinion) from the Carondelet palace itself, forced the page to enter a period of silence, first for days and then for months, until the final part of the period of collecting signatures to prevent exploitation, when it reappeared days ago with an apparent new intention of media deception that coincides with that carried out in the streets by those collecting pro-extractivist signatures.

MARCH 2014: Walking inside the Guayaquil Bus Terminal, it was easy to see a form similar to the one that as part of the collective YASUNIDOS We use it to prevent the exploitation of one of the last living spaces left for the only isolated peoples that currently exist in Ecuador. I immediately realized that the profile of the person who collected those signatures did not match that of someone from YASUNIDOSThis woman did it apathetically, like someone who is paid to do something she doesn't even agree with or understand.

As I approached, while this woman was trying to trick another person into signing, I took on the attitude of someone who is not very informed and the dialogue went like this:

I: Excuse me, they are collecting signatures
PRO-EXTRACTIVIST SIGNATURE COLLECTOR: Yes, we are collecting signatures for the Yasuní.

I: Excuse me, but is this the form to prevent exploitation?
PRO-EXTRACTIVIST SIGNATURE COLLECTOR: Yes, it is to defend the Yasuní.
I: But is it Yasunidos' question or which one?
PRO-EXTRACTIVIST SIGNATURE COLLECTOR: Yes, we are part of Yasunidos.
I: Can you let me read the question?
PRO-EXTRACTIVIST SIGNATURE COLLECTOR: If it is to defend the Yasuní (he covered the question with his hand, but the other person also demanded that he wanted to read the question).

Oh surprise! The question was about whether he supports the president in exploiting the ITT. This strategy of deception is reported from different corners of the country.

That is, the same question that was shamelessly and massively launched in the media using images and fonts similar to those of Yasunidos, with the sole objective of lying to those who want the ITT Yasuní not to be exploited but who are not so familiar with the subject as to realize it at a quick glance.

None of these dark strategies are surprising if we see that with a smile on his face the president of Ecuador says "that we will win (the consultation) because they believe us" but at the same time those in power insist that it is impossible to improve living conditions in Ecuador if the ITT is not exploited, when there are serious proposals such as the so-called PLAN C for Economic Justice so as not to have to go in and cause more pressure on the people who live there and whose destruction is imminent thanks to the forced occupation of their territories. Obviously, these proposals for non-exploitation do not transcend the circles of power, since what apparently interests them is not the economic resources themselves, but the fulfillment of the delivery of the product (crude oil).

The lack of transparency when the official proposal was active was undoubtedly one of the factors that led to its collapse, and government strategists seem to still not want to accept that it is obvious to ordinary people that their wasteful spending is so visible that they cannot continue to threaten with the discourse of austerity and socialism.

Awareness is growing and no longer depends solely on a nice slogan that seeks to confuse the citizen's love for life with the government's lack of love for life, no matter how many times it is repeated. The time is approaching when those (the Tagaeri and Taromenane) whom the government now insists do not exist where their interests are now to be erased will be seen as the most valid reason in itself to leave intact what remains of the Yasuní.