Comparing Migrant Populations in Ecuador

Abstract

Migration within the Global South is increasing. While conflict and xenophobia occurs, Latin America has been relatively welcoming of recent large-scale flows of forced migrants from Colombia and Venezuela, as well as other smaller flows from different countries migrating for economic or political reasons. Ecuador has a reputation for having progressive institutions protecting migrants, but translating these formal institutions into effective rights guarantees and political inclusion in practice is uneven. Migrants’ ability to integrate successfully into their host society and achieve rights, security, and livelihood is influenced by intersecting structures of identity and by their networked linkages with state, non-state, and informal institutions. While these factors often impose social sanctions on migrants who attempt to participate actively in political decisions that affect them, the expectation of ‘political invisibility’ varies by nationality, race, class, and dominant societal narrative across migrant populations. This paper seeks to explore how these characteristics drive differential attitudes about democracy and politics and different levels of political engagement across diverse migrant groups by surveying 720 migrants in Quito, and comparing six populations: Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans, Chinese, Haitians, and returned Ecuadorian emigrants. This study contributes one of the first systematic comparisons of migrant populations in Ecuador that vary across language, class, race, and societal narrative to examine how these different factors impede or facilitate access to rights, political participation, and protection.