Restrictions on access to justice in the Context of the Pandemic by Covid-19 in Ecuador

Access to justice is a right that must be guaranteed by the State under all circumstances in accordance with the Constitution and international human rights treaties. In Ecuador, as a result of the extraordinary measures imposed during the first months of the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus, the development of jurisdictional activities was seriously affected. The objective of the research is to analyze the restrictions on access to justice in the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Ecuador, it is a qualitative and bibliographic research, in which interviews with experts were applied. Among the main findings, it was established that the measures taken by the Judicial Council disproportionately and unnecessarily affected the rights of citizens and that the Covid-19 pandemic aggravated the situation of a judicial system that was already weakened and seriously affected. problems in its coverage capacity seriously affecting the right of users to access justice in a timely manner.