Diana Atamaint
{{Short description|Ecuadorian Shuar politician}}
{{family name hatnote|Atamaint|Wamputsar|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox politician
| name = Diana Atamaint
| image = Diana Atamaint CONAIE (sq cropped).jpg
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|5|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sucúa, Ecuador
| death_date =
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| nationality =
| alma_mater = University of Cuenca
Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences
| employer =
| party = Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement (until 2017)
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| office1 = President of the National Electoral Council
| office2 = Member of the National Assembly
| constituency2 = Morona Santiago
| office3 = Member of the National Congress
| constituency3 = Morona Santiago
| termstart1 = 20 November 2018
| termend1 = 20 November 2024
| termstart2 = 31 July 2009
| termend2 = 9 May 2013
| termstart3 = 5 January 2007
| termend3 = 30 November 2007
}}
Shiram Diana Atamaint Wamputsar (born 12 May 1972) is an Ecuadorian Shuar politician. Previously a member of the National Assembly, in 2018 she became the president of the National Electoral Council. She declared that President Daniel Noboa had won another term as President in April 2025.
Early life and career
Atamaint was born in Sucúa, in the province of Morona Santiago, in 1972. She was the first of four children born to Bosco Atamaint and Aurora Wamputsar. both of whom were teachers.{{Cite web |date=2017-11-30 |title=Diana Atamaint: historia de una lucha constante : Asamblea Nacional : La Hora Noticias de Ecuador, sus provincias y el mundo |url=https://www.lahora.com.ec/noticia/943821/diana-atamaint-historia-de-una-lucha-constante- |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130152759/https://www.lahora.com.ec/noticia/943821/diana-atamaint-historia-de-una-lucha-constante- |archive-date=2017-11-30 |access-date=2022-07-13 }} She attended Río Upano School before she studied for a degree in commercial engineering at the University of Cuenca, where she graduated in 2003.{{Cite web |date=2017-04-30 |title=Diana Atamaint {{!}} Asambleistas {{!}} Elecciones Ecuador 2013 |url=http://especiales.eluniverso.com/elecciones2013/asambleistas/diana-atamaint/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430225925/http://especiales.eluniverso.com/elecciones2013/asambleistas/diana-atamaint/ |archive-date=2017-04-30 }} She went on to gain a master's degree at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO).
At the age of 26, she began to work for a Project for the Development of the Indigenous and Black Peoples of Ecuador, funded by the World Bank. She visited communities in the provinces of Morona Santiago, Pastaza and Zamora Chinchipe, and she decided to be a politician.
Political career
She entered politics in 2003 as alternate deputy for Sandra Palacios. In the 2006 legislative elections, she was elected as a deputy of her home province of Morona Santiago as a Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement candidate. She joined the Ministry of Agriculture as the Undersecretary for the Amazon. She had become the first legislator of the Shuar people.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} She was unusual for being qualified technically and she had to persuade the voters that they could support a woman to take the role.{{Cite web |date=2015-10-17 |title="Desde pequeña me señalaban en clase, me decían 'la jíbara" {{!}} Edición impresa {{!}} EL PAÍS |url=https://elpais.com/diario/2008/02/04/sociedad/1202079606_850215.html |access-date=2022-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017121009/https://elpais.com/diario/2008/02/04/sociedad/1202079606_850215.html |archive-date=2015-10-17 }} During her time in the National Assembly, on several occasions Atamaint wore the traditional dress of the Shuar community.{{Cite web |date=2017-11-30 |title=Diana Atamaint, diputada fashion con atuendo típico - MAR. 04, 2007 - Gente - Historicos - EL UNIVERSO |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2007/03/04/0001/1065/A236364EFBF849989BEE5F3992B47D6D.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130172724/https://www.eluniverso.com/2007/03/04/0001/1065/A236364EFBF849989BEE5F3992B47D6D.html |archive-date=2017-11-30 |access-date=2022-07-13 }}
In 2009, she was appointed undersecretary for the Amazon at the Ministry of Agriculture, but she resigned to participate as a candidate for assembly member in the legislative elections of the same year. She won a seat representing Morona Santiago for Pachakutik.
During the protests of the Shuar community at the end of 2009, she participated as a representative of the protesters in the dialogues with the central government.
File:Asambleísta Diana Atamaint junto a Dirigentes Indígenas en rueda de prensa (7094785397).jpg
In June 2012, the environment minister, Marcela Aguiñaga, tried to sue Atamaint for slander after the she said in an interview that the minister had diverted public funds to friends' accounts. The National Court of Justice asked the National Assembly to lift Atamaint's parliamentary immunity, but it rejected the request. The motion to deny the request was presented by Paco Moncayo and obtained 66 votes in favor, 36 against and 11 abstentions.{{Cite web |date=2017-11-30 |title=Asamblea rechaza juicio penal a asambleísta Diana Atamaint {{!}} Política {{!}} Noticias {{!}} El Universo |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/2012/10/02/1/1355/asamblea-rechaza-autorizacion-juicio-penal-asambleista-diana-atamaint.html |access-date=2022-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130165824/https://www.eluniverso.com/2012/10/02/1/1355/asamblea-rechaza-autorizacion-juicio-penal-asambleista-diana-atamaint.html |archive-date=2017-11-30 }}
In 2013 she stood again for election with Francisco Eduardo Cedeno Miranda as her alternate.
On 20 November 2018 Atamaint became president of the National Electoral Council (CNE).{{Cite web |date=2019-02-28 |title=Pachakutik marca distancia de Diana Atamaint y rechazan "vinculos" con Nebot {{!}} La República EC |url=https://www.larepublica.ec/blog/2019/02/28/pachakutik-marca-distancia-de-diana-atamaint-y-rechazan-vinculos-con-nebot/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2018-11-20 |title=Diana Atamaint, nueva presidenta del Consejo Nacional Electoral, con votos de tres vocales |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/11/20/nota/7060419/falta-acuerdo-impide-elegir-nuevas-autoridades-consejo-nacional |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=El Universo |language=es}} There were five members of the council and two of them, Enrique Pita and José Cabrera, supported her election while the other two, Luis Verdezoto and Esthela Acero, did not.
In February 2019 {{ill|Marlon Santi|es}}, coordinator of Pachakutik, distanced himself and his party from Atamaint as they did not agree with her policies as president of the National Electoral Council.
During the 2022 Ecuadorian protests, talks broke down between the Government of Guillermo Lasso and Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador's leader Leonidas Iza after the president said that talks were off. The president held meetings with Iza and others with mediation from church leaders and other political leaders despite an attack on a military convoy in Orellana province. Atamaint (as president of the National Electoral Council), the National Assembly President Virgilio Saquicela and César Córdova of the CPCCS all called on the president for calm and to continue talks. Atamaint was clear that there were long standing demands that had to be resolved. She conceded that there had been violence during the recent national strike but she believed this was due to "private interests".{{Cite web |title=Diana Atamaint, Virgilio Saquicela y César Córdova exhortaron al Gobierno a retomar el proceso de diálogo con la Conaie |url=https://www.metroecuador.com.ec/noticias/2022/06/28/diana-atamaint-virgilio-saquicela-y-cesar-cordova-exhortaron-al-gobierno-a-retomar-el-proceso-de-dialogo-con-la-conaie/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=Metro Ecuador |language=es}}
In July 2022, Atamaint was being impeached as it was alleged that the National Electoral Council had failed to investigate irregularities in the February 2021 general election. Charges were made against her and Esthela Acero, Enrique Pita, José Cabrera and Luis Verdesoto (even though he was no longer a councillor). Joel Abad and Mario Ruiz Jácome alleged that the council had not investigated inconsistencies in 39,000 ballot boxes. There were doubts as to whether the National Assembly's Oversight Commission were allowed to impeach the council. On 12 July a proposal to halt the impeachment process, made by Ana Belén Cordero, was accepted by the commission.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-12 |title=Comisión de Fiscalización suspende juicio político al Consejo Nacional Electoral |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/politica/comision-de-fiscalizacion-suspende-juicio-politico-al-consejo-nacional-electoral-nota/ |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=El Universo |language=es}}
In August 2023 Atamaint reported that thousands of votes had been lost by mainly European voters due to cyber attacks in the 2023 general election. The attacks came from several different countries.{{Cite web |title=Ecuador’s national election agency says cyberattacks caused absentee voting issues |url=https://therecord.media/ecuador-election-cyberattacks-absentee-voting |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=therecord.media}}
On 13 April 2025 Atamaint announced the result of the national presidential election. 90% of the results had been counted and as the President of the National Election Council she declared that President Daniel Noboa had secured another election victory.{{Cite news |date=14 April 2025 |title=Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa secures win in election as rival demands recounting of votes |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/others/ecuadors-president-daniel-noboa-secures-win-in-election-as-rival-demands-recounting-of-votes20250414101949/ |access-date=27 May 2025 |work=aninews}}