Access to Information as an Instrumental Right:

The Ecuadorian Ombudsman and Human Dignity in 2020

Abstract

This document aims to make an analysis of the incidence in favor of the exercise of the human right of access to public information by the Office of the Ombudsman of Ecuador during 2020, in the midst of the most serious health, economic and social crisis of the last century, caused by the covid-19 pandemic. For this, the text starts with a recount of the right to access to information, as a fundamental human right and that must be guaranteed in the XXI century as an instrumental right to other rights. Then, the pronouncements issued by the Ecuadorian Ombudsman (DPE) are reviewed and, especially, those related to access to public information, to end with a series of conclusions and recommendations in this regard. The study methodology is qualitative, made from the analysis of the content of the defensive pronouncements issued during 2020. The limitations of the research are given by the fact that the source of information was unique, with which it is recommended for future studies to be able to count with the other defense actions and, if applicable, from other relevant actors.