On April 5, 2025, the Ecuadorian chapter of Students for Liberty (SFL Ecuador) hosted the annual SFL regional conference for Latin America: LibertyCon in Quito. The event brought together around 60 liberty-minded youth, opinion leaders, and civil-society advocates from across the country to highlight the need for political action in defense of classical-liberal values.
LibertyCon 2025 highlighted the importance of empathy, cultural awareness, and political participation to position the ideas of freedom in the political arena and public opinion. The LibertyCon theme appeared to be that change begins with informed citizens who want to take action.
LibertyCon provided a platform to engage, educate, and mobilize young Ecuadorians committed to the ideas of freedom. It was organized by SFL—a youth-led global movement that promotes classical liberalism and various strands of libertarianism. The sponsor was imPros, a company that specializes in innovative team training.
The conference opened with a welcome from SFL Ecuador Senior Coordinator Andrés Bonilla. Then former SFL member, Martín Rosero, sang Libre by Nino Bravo. This song was inspired by a young man who was shot while trying to cross the Berlin Wall in 1962.
From Theory to Action
After the opening, Rosero moderated a panel, featuring Gabriella Guerrero, political-science professor and executive director at La Politeka; Luis Espinosa Goded, economics professor and libertarian advocate; and Mauricio Alarcón, executive director of the Citizenship and Development Foundation (FCD). In the throes of a presidential runoff campaign, the panel explored Ecuador’s challenging political landscape and how classical liberalism can thrive.
Alarcón emphasized the relevance of personal coherence and classic-liberal principles: “We will start to win when we begin to have clarity about what it means to be liberal.” Guerrero added that this starts in smaller social circles, like the family: “We should first ask where this political culture comes from before crafting a message. What are we doing from the smallest structure—the family? If I cannot respect a small rule, why would I respect a larger one? The Constitution is just the way the game is played, and [in Ecuador] we love to manipulate it.”
Espinosa Goded criticized the libertarian community’s past communication failures: “We have focused on data and not enough on empathy. That is in my own generation. Thankfully, today’s youth are doing it much better. Humanity evolves, and so must our communication strategies.”
Panelists agreed that data and theory are not enough. To gain ground, freedom advocates must connect emotionally and culturally with the broader society. Quoting Friedrich Hayek, they argued: “The courage to be utopian is what allows socialism to win.” Likewise, citizens will take ideas of freedom into account when they become relatable and actionable in everyday life.
Think Tanks Fighting in the Front Row
SFL Ecuador invited representatives of proliberty think tanks to share their stories with the audience. The think tanks also received awards for their hard work and commitment to the values of freedom.
Francisco Mendoza, cofounder and executive director of Libre Razón (LR), shared how his organization has successfully reached ideologically diverse youth. His team has promoted open, critical discussions on individual responsibility, state coercion, and the adverse effects of narratives such as so-called social justice. He urged the liberty movement to leave its echo chamber and enter politics.
Alarcón spoke about FCD’s ongoing fight for transparency and citizen oversight in Ecuador, which has earned international recognition. He also talked about the threats he has received for his work, underscoring the personal cost of defending freedom and the necessary courage.
Joselo Andrade, director of the Ecuadorian Institute of Political Economy (IEEP), addressed his institution’s research reports on public spending, economic freedom, and tax reform. He aims to shape policy, the media, and the public discourse by raising public awareness.
Valeria Carvajal, development director at the Humanamente think tank, highlighted how the organization is distinct. It has fewer years of operation than the others but has achieved the same prominence in the classic-liberal ecosystem. Humanamente promotes civic participation, a sense of community, and stronger institutional pillars, focusing on the rule of law and individual liberty.
In an exclusive interview with the Impunity Observer, Andrade highlighted the importance of the event: “freedom is the precondition of civilization.” The conference “is a product that is only as good as its participants, and at this moment, I believe there are exceptional people in Students for Liberty leading the LibertyCon project, and I am very optimistic.”
The event finished with a Q&A session and a panel discussion about fighting for formalized and flexible work (hourly rates rather than monthly salaries), tax reduction, and minimum-wage freezing. Aside from the formal events, though, personal networking was a key element that brought participants to Quito. There will be a 2026 LibertyCon, but whether that will be in Ecuador remains to be confirmed.
