Born in Quito, she studied Political Science at the Latin American Social Sciences Institute with a specialization in Governance and Political Management, and while there began to work as a human rights activist. She also served as a consultant for the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and was an active member of The Citizens' Revolution.[1]
In 2012, Buendía was nominated to the position of Coordinating Minister of Politics, replacing Betty Tola who had temporarily resigned.[2] In the 2013 elections, Buendía was elected to the National Assembly, and was re-elected in 2017 elections. In her first year, she was sanctioned after going against the government and supporting assembly members Paola Pabón and Gina Godoy in a motion to decriminalize abortion in cases of rape in the country.[3] She also spoke out against sexism in Ecuadorian publications. In the instance of Diario Extra, she filed a complaint and pushed for sanctions on the newspaper due to the publication of a "Lunes Sexi" segment, which she found to be demeaning to women.[4]
In her second term of office on the National Assembly, Buendía has spoken out in favor of Jorge Glas during his suspension from the Vice Presidency.[5]
