The bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aguarico, Ecuador, shares his pastoral commitment to the Amazonian peoples and denounces pressure from extractive industries, environmental pollution, and human rights violations. In an interview with Vida Nueva Digital, he highlights the role of REPAM and CEAMA as expressions of a Church committed to life and the defense of the territory.
“We do not accept donations from oil companies.” With this statement, Monsignor Adalberto Jiménez, bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aguarico in the Ecuadorian Amazon, expresses a decision that reflects the commitment of a Church seeking to maintain its prophetic freedom in the face of economic interests that threaten the lives of Amazonian peoples and ecosystems.
In an interview published by Vida Nueva Digital on November 3, 2026, during a visit to Ecuador organized in collaboration with Manos Unidas, the bishop shares his pastoral experience in the Francisco de Orellana region and the challenges faced by a Church called to accompany indigenous communities amid extractivist pressures, environmental pollution, and various forms of violence.
His missionary commitment is deeply linked to the witness of Monsignor Alejandro Labaka and Sister Inés Arango, Capuchin missionaries murdered in 1987 while attempting to reach out to the Tagaeri indigenous people to protect them from the threats they faced. The memory of both continues to inspire a Church that understands evangelization as closeness, respect, and the defense of life.
A Church Unbowed by Extractive Interests
Monsignor Jiménez explains that, at the beginning of his episcopal ministry, the Vicariate accepted donations from oil companies for certain infrastructure projects and social programs. However, over time, he realized that these contributions could become tools of pressure to silence complaints about the impacts of extractive activities.
“I made the decision to accept absolutely nothing from oil or mining companies. It’s their trap to trample on the people and nature and expect us to remain silent,” he states.
This stance reflects a pastoral commitment aimed at preserving the Church’s independence and its ability to stand in solidarity with communities affected by pollution, deforestation, and the violation of their rights.
The bishop also recalls the words of Pope Francis, who, upon entrusting him with the care of this territory, asked him: “Take care of the rainforest and its people.” It is a call that remains central to his pastoral ministry and his defense of indigenous peoples.
Defending the Life and Dignity of Communities
During the interview, Monsignor Jiménez describes some of the situations affecting the people of Orellana. Among them, he recalls the spill of approximately 15,000 barrels of oil that occurred on April 7, 2020, which severely impacted the region.
In response to this situation, the apostolic vicariates of Aguarico and Sucumbíos took legal action to seek justice and redress for the affected communities. However, the process has faced various obstacles and remains pending a judicial ruling.
Likewise, the bishop expresses concern about violence against women and femicide, the plight of victims of gender-based violence, deforestation, threats to indigenous peoples, and the lack of educational opportunities for Amazonian youth.
In this context, he highlights the Church’s support for Casa Paula, a shelter for women who are victims of violence, as part of the Church’s commitment to defending human dignity.
REPAM and CEAMA: A Church Walking Together
Reflecting on the future of the Church’s presence in the Amazon, Bishop Jiménez acknowledges the importance of two organizations that emerged from the process of ecclesial coordination in the Amazon: the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM) and the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA).
“A great legacy of Pope Francis’s pontificate was the creation of two fundamental institutions: the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM) and the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA),” he notes.
The bishop recalls that the seed of REPAM was sown in Ecuador, driven by
Cardinal Pedro Barreto, based on the realization that the Amazonian territories of the nine countries share common problems and challenges that require coordinated responses.
He also highlights the importance of the Synod on the Amazon and the efforts of Cardinal Cláudio Hummes to strengthen a Church that listens to the people, recognizes their realities, and builds paths of communion and missionary commitment.
In the face of current challenges, he considers it necessary to rekindle the momentum of this ecclesial journey and prevent the Church from becoming closed off within its own structures. He calls for maintaining an active, committed presence that remains close to the realities of the region.
A mission lived with one’s feet firmly planted in Amazonian soil
Monsignor Adalberto Jiménez’s testimony reminds us that the Church’s mission in the Amazon cannot be separated from the defense of life, the dignity of indigenous peoples, and the care of our Common Home.
His pastoral experience highlights the importance of a Church that does not remain indifferent to the threats faced by communities, that accompanies their struggles, and that maintains its prophetic voice in the face of interests that jeopardize the region’s future.
.