En el Ecuador, desde la Colonia hasta nuestros días, los indígenas han sido víctima de violencia, exclusión y discriminación en las diferentes esferas de la vida social. Del racismo encontramos expresiones en muchos ámbitos, como también en la ensayística. En este artículo, se analiza la obra “Los indígenas de altura del Ecuador” (1975) del escritor ecuatoriano Emilio Bonifaz (1914-1994). Se examina el texto desde la metodología cualitativa con la aplicación del concepto de biopoder, acuñado por Michel Foucault, que identifica las estrategias políticas de dominación sobre la vida y el cuerpo humano. Se halló que Bonifaz consideraba que los indígenas minifundistas de altura representaban un problema social porque eran apáticos y por lo tanto obstaculizaban el desarrollo del Ecuador. Se plantea que el autor promueve un discurso biopolítico y, desde concepciones eugenésicas, neolamarkianas, patriarcales y coloniales, consideraba la necesidad de intervenir en los cuerpos de las mujeres, mediante la instalación de la espiral intrauterina, para impedir la reproducción de los indígenas. Palabras Claves: Emilio Bonifaz, indígenas, eugenesia, neolamarckismo, biopolítica. ABSTRACT: In Ecuador, from colonial times to the present day, indigenous people have been victims of violence, exclusion and discrimination in the different spheres of social life. We find expressions of racism in many areas, as well as in essays. In this article, the work "Los indígenas de altura del Ecuador" (1975) by the Ecuadorian writer Emilio Bonifaz (1914-1994) is analyzed. The text is examined from the qualitative methodology with the application of the concept of biopower, coined by Michel Foucault, which identifies the political strategies of domination over life and the human body. It was found that Bonifaz considered that Ecuador's main problem was the high altitude smallholders because, being apathetic, they hindered the development of Ecuador. It is stated that the author promotes a biopolitical discourse and, from eugenic, neo-lamarck, patriarchal and colonial conceptions, he considered the need to intervene in women's bodies, by installing the intrauterine device, to prevent the reproduction of indigenous people. Keywords: Emilio Bonifaz, indigenous people, eugenics, neo-lamarckism, biopolitics. Recibido: 16 de noviembre de 2018 Aceptado: 04 de enero de 2019 Publicado: 09 de enero de 2019In Ecuador, from colonial times to the present day, indigenous people have been victims of violence, exclusion and discrimination in the different spheres of social life. We find expressions of racism in many areas, as well as in essays. In this article, the work "Los indígenas de altura del Ecuador" (1975) by the Ecuadorian writer Emilio Bonifaz (1914-1994) is analyzed. The text is examined from the qualitative methodology with the application of the concept of biopower, coined by Michel Foucault, which identifies the political strategies of domination over life and the human body. It was found that Bonifaz considered that Ecuador's main problem was the high altitude smallholders because, being apathetic, they hindered the development of Ecuador. It is stated that the author promotes a biopolitical discourse and, from eugenic, neo-lamarck, patriarchal and colonial conceptions, he considered the need to intervene in women's bodies, by installing the intrauterine device, to prevent the reproduction of indigenous people. Keywords: Emilio Bonifaz, indigenous people, eugenics, neo-lamarckism, biopolitics.