Legislating coordination and cooperation mechanisms between indigenous and ordinary jurisdictions

This chapter analyses the multiple tensions and obstacles regarding the effective compliance of the right of indigenous peoples to administer justice in Ecuador. It documents and reflects critically on the socio-political dynamics, both in the executive and legislative branches, regarding the drafting processes, since 2009, of a coordination and cooperation law between indigenous jurisdiction and ordinary jurisdiction. By unravelling the interaction between international norms, power relations, and interest of distinct state actors, this chapter demonstrates that human rights are at the heart of political struggles and power to determine its scope and content.