La participación ciudadana: fundamento esencial de la democracia en Ecuador.

The present research focuses on analyzing the legal framework of citizen participation in Ecuador, with special emphasis on the popular consultation, a mechanism that allows the community of a locality, region, or nation to express their opinions definitively and bindingly on specific issues that the constituted powers or a part of the citizenry have decided to inquire from the sovereign. The main objective is to systematize the legal foundations that enable effective citizen participation in the political power of the Ecuadorian State. During the research, a detailed analysis of the 2008 Constitution of Ecuador is carried out to evaluate the normative regulation of citizens' participation rights, as well as the jurisprudential recognition established by the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. Also, updated bibliographic material is provided to establish the necessary elements regarding citizen participation as a pillar of democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]