Irene Torres: El juego político de las nuevas leyes | Columnistas | Opinión
Irene Torres: El juego político de las nuevas leyes | Columnistas | Opinión
The article examines the intersection of civil society regulation and governance integrity, arguing that while increased scrutiny of NGOs is necessary to combat illicit financial flows, Ecuador’s new transparency laws are politically motivated. The government uses anti-money laundering mandates to justify centralized control, yet the legislation includes unrelated provisions that raise constitutional concerns and appear designed to undermine judicial oversight rather than enhance genuine accountability. This regulatory approach reflects a global crisis of confidence in non-governmental organizations due to funding cuts and mismanagement. However, the Ecuadorian context highlights a critical double standard: the state enforces strict transparency on civil society while exempting its own institutions from similar requirements. This hypocrisy fuels legal challenges and deepens public distrust, suggesting the reforms serve political interests more than public safety. Relevant to open data, this case illustrates how transparency initiatives can be weaponized. True open data must be reciprocal; otherwise, it becomes a tool for asymmetrical control. For open governance to succeed, data access and accountability mechanisms must apply equally to both the state and private sectors, ensuring that digital transparency promotes democratic integrity rather than enabling arbitrary state power over civil society.
Source: eluniverso.comPublished on 2025-08-29