Decree 370: New Curfew Hits 9 Provinces Starting May 3 — Full Province List and What's Exempt

President Daniel Noboa signed Decree 370, establishing a new curfew across nine of Ecuador's provinces starting Sunday, May 3 through Monday, May 18, 2026.

The Restriction

Hours: 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM nightly

Duration: 16 days (May 3–18)

Provinces Under Curfew

| Province | Key Cities | |----------|-----------| | Pichincha | Quito, Tumbaco, Cumbayá | | Guayas | Guayaquil, Samborondón, Durán | | El Oro | Machala, Huaquillas | | Manabí | Manta, Portoviejo, Bahía | | Santa Elena | Salinas, Montañita, La Libertad | | Los Ríos | Babahoyo, Quevedo | | Esmeraldas | Esmeraldas city, Atacames | | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | Santo Domingo | | Sucumbíos | Lago Agrio, Shushufindi |

Four individual cantons are also included: La Maná (Cotopaxi), Las Naves and Echeandía (Bolívar), and La Troncal (Cañar).

Provinces NOT Under Curfew

Azuay (Cuenca), Loja (Vilcabamba), Imbabura (Cotacachi, Otavalo), Tungurahua (Baños), and the remaining highland and Amazon provinces are excluded.

Exemptions

The government confirmed one explicit exemption: passengers with scheduled flights will not be stopped during curfew hours. The decree states "toque de queda no detendrá a pasajeros con vuelos programados."

Context

The government says the decision is based on "los resultados obtenidos por las fuerzas del orden durante el último estado de excepción" — results from the previous state of exception. This is the latest in a series of curfew measures the Noboa administration has used as part of its security strategy.

What This Means for Expats

If you live in Quito, Guayaquil, or the coast: You're under curfew. Plan to be home or at your accommodation by 11 PM. The restriction lasts 16 days — this isn't a weekend-only measure.

If you're traveling for the May Day weekend: The timing is notable — the holiday IVA discount (Decree 368, reducing tourism IVA to 8%) ends May 3, the same day the curfew begins. Plan your return trip accordingly.

If you live in Cuenca, Vilcabamba, Cotacachi, or Baños: You're not affected. No restrictions apply.

If you're flying: Keep your booking confirmation accessible. Late-night arrivals at Quito or Guayaquil airports should not be impacted as long as you have proof of a scheduled flight.

La Troncal is included. If you drive between Cuenca and Guayaquil via the La Troncal route, be aware that this canton has its own curfew.

Sources: El Universo, Teleamazonas