Famivida

Fundación Amigos por la Vida (Famivida) was a non-profit organization in Ecuador created in 1995 that promoted the defense of LGBT rights and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.

It was registered as an organization in favor of HIV/AIDS prevention, without mentioning the defense of LGBT rights, due to the fact that at the time of its creation, homosexuality was still considered a crime in Ecuador.

As a result of the campaign, on September 17, the first public demonstration of LGBT people in the history of Guayaquil was held in front of the Court of Justice.

[13] After being dispersed by the police, many of those present escaped to the Judah LGBT bar, located on Los Ríos and Clemente Ballén streets.

[14][4][6] In April 2003, Neptalí Arias, president of Famivida, denounced that the director of surveillance of the municipality of Guayaquil had sent a letter to the mayor of the city, Jaime Nebot, in which he asked him to approve a “prohibition for gays and homosexuals to pass through the new places(...), for those who publicly offend modesty with indecent actions or sayings and for going out dressed in an indecent manner on public streets.”[citation needed] The director of surveillance responded that his letter only referred to those who engage in prostitution.

[12] Famivida, together with the Ombudsman's Office, also denounced the abuses committed during the permanent operation called “Caballero Rosa” (Pink Knight), established by governor Guido Chiriboga Parra [es], which sought to “eradicate the presence of transvestites and transsexuals” in Barrio Orellana.