Organisational structure
How we govern ourselves
The Inga People of Villagarzón govern themselves through their own authorities, by levels: the Ancestral Territory, the Reserves and their communities, and the Association that brings them together. They are governed by the Mandate of the Elders Suma Kausangapa (2015, updated in 2024), by the internal regulations of each Reserve and community, and by the Statutes of ACIMVIP.
Ancestral Territory
Territorial Minga of Thought · Sugllaiaspa Alpa Manda Suma Iuiai
The highest authority of the Ancestral Territory Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi Vida Maskarigridiru. It decides on the defence of the territory, its land-use planning, legal defence and any project that intervenes in it.
Territorial Minga of Thought →Shared Reserve Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
Assembly of Authorities of the Reserve
A Reserve inhabited and governed by four Cabildos (Indigenous traditional authority), with no hierarchy among them.
What the Assembly of Authorities is →- Minga of Thought or community assembly of the Cabildo Alparumiyaco Alto San Juan Las Delicias, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Minga of Thought or community assembly of the Cabildo Cachiacu Andaki, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Minga of Thought or community assembly of the Cabildo Nukanchipa Taita Kausadiru, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Minga of Thought or community assembly of the Cabildo Musu Waira Sacha Nucanchipa, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
Reserves
Minga of Thought or community assembly of each one
Each Reserve has a single Cabildo, which its community elects in its Minga of Thought.
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of AlbaniaMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of BlasiakuMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of CalenturasMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of ChaluayacoMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of SaladilloiacoMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of San Miguel de la CastellanaMinga of Thought or community assembly
- Inga Indigenous Reserve of WasipungoMinga of Thought or community assembly
Reserve to be established
Minga of Thought or community assembly
A community with its own Cabildo, moving towards the establishment of its Reserve.
- Cabildo Atun Taita Ambi Upiadiru Indigenous
ACIMVIP
General Assembly of Governors
The highest authority of the Association. It is formed by the governors of the thirteen member Cabildos, one per Cabildo.
What the General Assembly is →Implementing institutions: they accompany a coordination and implement within its line of work.
Higher Council for the Administration of Own Justice
The second instance of the own justice system of all communities of the Inga People of Villagarzón.
Highest decision-making bodies of the People
Territorial Minga of Thought
Sugllaiaspa Alpa Manda Suma Iuiai. It is the highest authority of the Ancestral Territory Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi Vida Maskarigridiru on territorial defence, land-use planning, legal defence and projects that intervene in the territory.
Members: 13 authorities with a vote, one per cabildo, plus the delegates of each community · Quorum: half plus one of the authorities (7 of 13) · How it decides: half plus one, always with the presence and consensus of the four communities of the Nukanchipa Resguardo (Mandate 40)
It decides by majority, but always with the presence and consensus of the four communities of the shared Reserve. The first Minga was held on 24 and 25 October 2025 in San Miguel de la Castellana.
← Back to How we govern ourselvesAssembly of Authorities of the Reserve
The Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi is inhabited and governed by four Cabildos. Its Assembly of Authorities is the highest authority of the Reserve, except on territorial defence, land-use planning, legal defence and projects on the territory, which are decided by the Territorial Minga of Thought.
Members: 18 seats: the 4 governors, 8 participants (2 per community) and the 6 officers of the Resguardo Cabildo, who attend and report · Quorum: 12 of the 18: the 4 governors and the 8 participants (Mandate 6) · How it decides: with that quorum; any project or action on the territory requires the decision of the four authorities (Mandate 5)
The four communities
Each one elects its Cabildo in its Minga of Thought or community assembly:
- Cabildo Alparumiyaco Alto San Juan Las Delicias, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Cachiacu Andaki Cabildo, part of the Inga Indigenous Resguardo of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Cabildo Nukanchipa Taita Kausadiru, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
- Cabildo Musu Waira Sacha Nucanchipa, belonging to the Inga Indigenous Reserve of Nukanchipa Alpa Amukunapa Wasi
There is a single own census with four sections, and the special allocation resources rotate: one year, one project per community; the next, a collective one. Get to know the Reserve →
← Back to How we govern ourselvesMinga of Thought of each community
It is the highest decision-making body on the life and existence of each community. All those registered in the census kept by the Cabildo take part; minors also attend, but only the decisions of those over 15 years of age count. The governor and the Cabildo are elected there.
Members: everyone in the community census; those over 15 vote · How it decides: by consensus; failing that, by majority of those present (Mandates 4 and 10)
The cabildo of each community: 8 positions (governor, senior mayor, junior mayor, senior bailiff, junior bailiff, secretary, treasurer and auditor); the governor is elected for one year.
Who sustain everyday government
- Council of Former Governors: advises the governor, nominates candidates and takes part in own justice.
- Iacha Sinchi and Atun Mama Iacha: guide, counsel and spiritually lead the community and its authorities. The ambi waska ceremony is held at least once a month, and decisions are taken under its guidance.
- Chaskis and Wasikamas: protect, care for, watch over and control the territory by mandate of the authorities.
ACIMVIP · General Assembly of Governors
ACIMVIP was founded on 26 March 1998 and brings together the Cabildos and Reserves of the Inga People of Villagarzón. Its General Assembly of Governors is the highest authority of the Association.
Members: 13 governors with a vote, one per cabildo; the Executive Committee and the Council of Elders attend without a vote · Quorum: 7 of the 13 (half plus one), certified by the Auditor (Statutes, art. 24) · How it decides: simple majority in ordinary matters; two thirds (9 of 13) to amend the statutes, dissolve the Association or change the board
Executive Committee
It is the highest administrative body: it decides while the Assembly is not in session, implements what the authorities decide and represents the Association. It is formed by the Presidency, which holds legal representation, the Vice-Presidency, the General Secretariat and the Treasury. Legal representative: Ingry Paola Mojanajinsoy Buesaquillo, 2024-2027 term.
Council of Elders and Oversight
Oversees the Executive Committee and issues opinions to resolve conflicts between communities. It has five members elected by the Assembly for three years, eligible for re-election, and the Auditor is chosen from among them. It is not the Higher Council for the Administration of Own Justice, which is the second instance of our own justice (see below).
Coordinations
They are the ten work areas the Assembly creates to put the Life Plan into practice: Territory and Environment; Government and Own Justice; Economy and Production; Planning; Own Education; Political Participation; Own Health; Culture and Sports; Human Rights, and Women and Family. The Executive Committee coordinates them. See the Life Plan and what each coordination contributes →
Atun Ñambi Inga Bilingual Rural Ethno-educational Institution. The Inga People of Villagarzón's own school, with ten sites in the communities. It implements own education in the communities. Its Community Educational Project (PDF).
Unión Temporal Ingakuna Sugllapi Tukuspa. Implements own education programmes with the communities of the Inga People.
Sacha Muiu. The Amazonian Agro-industrial Association of the Inga People of Villagarzón, a private non-profit entity created in 2021 by the communities for their own economy. It is linked to the structure through its governors and implements the own economy.
Email: Presidency, asociacioningaacimvip@gmail.com · Secretariat, secretarioacimvip@gmail.com · Treasury, tesoreriaacimvip@gmail.com · Territory and Environment, territorioacimvip@gmail.com · Human Rights, coordinacionddhhacimvip@gmail.com · Finance area, financieraacimvip@gmail.com.
Our history of government
Robinson López Descanse presided over ACIMVIP in 2004-2006, 2008-2010 and 2014-2016; he passed away on 21 August 2020, a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the current term, the Executive Committee was made up of Carlos Andrés López Descanse (president); Ingry Paola Mojanajinsoy (vice-president); Yimer Felipe Guevara (secretary general); Alba Quintero (treasurer); Gilberto Ramírez (auditor). The coordinations were led by Ginny Katherine Alba Medina (human rights); Yovany Martínez Quinchoa (own education); Joaquín Fernando Jansasoy Quinchoa (territory and environment); Edna Viviana Papamija (women and family); Luis Jansasoy Quinchoa (self-government and own justice); Francisco Jansasoy Quinchoa (culture and sports).
← Back to How we govern ourselvesHigher Council for the Administration of Own Justice
It is the second instance of the own justice system of the communities of the Inga People of Villagarzón. It is made up of the governors of the thirteen Cabildos and the legal representative of the Association, a respected and experienced Iacha Sinchi and Atun Mama Iacha, and a representative of the former governors: seventeen people in total. It has no fixed schedule: it meets at the request of those involved or of the community, or on its own initiative.
Members: 17 people: the 13 governors, ACIMVIP's legal representative, an Iacha Sinchi, an Atun Mama Iacha and a representative of the former governors · How it decides: reviews the decision of the authorities of the cabildo where the case comes from; corrections are accompanied by healing with ambi waska
It is a cross-cuttingspace: it runs through all levels of self-government, from the territory to the community.
← Back to How we govern ourselves