Marlon Richard Vargas Santi

Marlon Richard Vargas Santi is an Ecuadorian indigenous leader and member of the Achuar nationality. He was recently elected as the new president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) during the organization's VIII national congress held on July 20, 2025. Vargas won the election by securing 617 votes, defeating the incumbent president Leonidas Iza, who received 540 votes. His platform focuses on uniting indigenous communities to protect their territories, promoting intercultural bilingual education, and supporting ancestral knowledge and entrepreneurship. Vargas emphasizes that his leadership will be rooted in the needs and voices of the communities rather than political parties.