The International Network Against the Criminalization of Social Protest and Workers’ and Popular Organizations is Born

On October 23 and 24, the First International Meeting Against the Criminalization of Protest and of Workers’ and Popular Organizations was held in Quito, Ecuador. The militant, class struggle, and autonomous Labor Federation of Ecuador, CEDOCUT, hosted the event. With the participation of representatives from labor, social, peasant, indigenous, human rights, and political organizations from various regions of Ecuador, as well as from other countries, the meeting resolved to establish the International Network Against Criminalization and to call for a Global Day of Action on December 10, International Human Rights Day, among other decisions. Below, we share the Quito Declaration, which summarizes the main points of agreement, resolutions of the Meeting, and initial signatories. The spirit of this Declaration is to seek further support for it and for the formation of the Network from all corners of the world.

We are living in a world of historic changes. The profound capitalist crisis is the backdrop for enormous social and political polarization. Governments and corporations are attacking the historical rights of the working class and the people, who are responding with resistance mobilizations around the world, at varying paces, but as a clear trend. The struggle between the US and China for global hegemony is deepening this dynamic.

The Trump administration and its global far-right movement represent the attempt by a retreating imperialism to recover lost ground. To achieve its objectives, it is deploying an all out war against the workers and peoples of the world. The attack on the historical gains of the working class, the plundering of common resources, the dispossession of lands and territories, and the suppression of democratic rights are the hallmarks of this global orientation. To impose this profit driven plan, they must crush all social resistance and collective organization.

A wave of repression, including the persecution of leaders, imprisonments, discriminatory dismissals, disciplinary proceedings, media intimidation, and the criminalization of protest, is sweeping the world. Attacks and violence against unions, social collectives, the peasant movement, human rights organizations, feminists, Black communities, LGBTQ+ groups, the prison population, and even representatives of political forces using sympathetic judges. Ultra-reactionary legislation is being passed that, under various legal guises, criminalizes the fundamental right to demonstrate and build collectively. Trumpism and its global allies are at the forefront of those in power, but they are not the only ones. China, Russia, and other regional powers act similarly in what they consider their spheres of influence. And even governments and regimes that present themselves as progressive, anti-imperialist, and even leftist, repress, persecute, and imprison social activists. We reject all imperial interference and authoritarianism against workers and peoples who protest or mobilize, regardless of the state it comes from or its guise.

This First International Meeting, with representatives from Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Kashmir, Pakistan, the USA, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Chile, and Bolivia, categorically opposes this entire policy and calls for a united effort across all borders.

We demand the dismissal of criminal charges and persecutory proceedings, the reinstatement of those discriminatorily dismissed, and the release of all political prisoners.

We especially denounce the Noboa government’s refusal to recognize the democratically elected authorities of the CEDOCUT grassroots organizations and the leadership of the trade union federation, as this undermines the functioning and administrative, economic, and labor rights defense efforts, violating ILO conventions (87 and 98). We demand their immediate registration.

We also demand an end to the persecution of Edwin Bedoya, President of the aforementioned labor union federation, Guido Perugachi, indigenous leader of FENOCIN, and all their leaders and grassroots members.

We also stand in solidarity with the persecuted activists of the people of Kashmir for demanding democratic rights and demand an end to all the repressive measures.

We raise our voices against the internal repression in the US by Trump and his McCarthyist and anti-immigrant policies. The case of Tom Alter, a professor at the University of Texas, is emblematic, as he was fired for attending a conference on socialism.

We also say end the persecution of Jean Mendoza, general secretary of SITRAEMAS in Venezuela, who is being prosecuted under the nefarious Law Against Hatred for demanding workers’ rights.

We demand that all proceedings in Argentina against the workers of the Garrahan Hospital be annulled, and especially that the media harassment orchestrated by the government and officials of Milei’s government against Norma Lezana, leader of APyT, be stopped.

We declare our full support for the educators dismissed from their positions, the construction and electrical workers in Panama persecuted for protesting, as well as the communities of Río Indio who reject the extractive project of a dam in that region.

We endorse the demands of the people and youth of Costa Rica against the austerity and repressive policies of their authoritarian regime.

In these struggles, we see a synthesis of all those taking place around the world that confront the arrogance of governments and foreign powers. We stand in solidarity with the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people and denounce the genocide they suffer at the hands of Zionism. We also express our full support for the youth and peoples currently rising up throughout Europe. From this Meeting, we call for supporting them and for the revival of the historical methods of struggle of the working class, especially the general strike, to achieve victory, and for internationalism against regimes, governments, big business, and judicial officials.

From this First Meeting, we propose to establish an International Network Against Criminalization, open to unions, labor federations, social organizations, human rights groups, feminist organizations, youth groups, political forces, and activists who wish to participate, wherever they may be in the world.

As a first step, we propose holding a Global Day of Action for all these causes on December 10, International Human Rights Day. We will also prepare a Report on the Map of Criminalization, which will serve as the basis for presentations to the IACHR and the UN regarding these countless violations.

Protesting is not a crime.

Organizing collectively is not a crime.

They attack us worldwide.

We respond with international coordination to fight back.

Quito, Ecuador

October 23 and 24, 2026

Initial Endorsements

CEDOCUT (Ecuador)

APyT Garrahan (Argentina)

SITRAEMAS (Venezuela)

National Struggle Front (Costa Rica)

ASOPROF (Panama)