Ecuador Curfew Now Active in 9 Provinces Through May 18 — What Expats Need to Know

Ecuador's government has activated a nationwide curfew affecting nine provinces and four additional cantons, running from May 3 through May 18, 2026. The measure restricts all civilian movement from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM nightly.

Where the Curfew Applies

Nine provinces are under full curfew:

• Guayas
• Pichincha
• Manabí
• Santa Elena
• Los Ríos
• Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
• Sucumbíos
• El Oro
• Esmeraldas

Four additional cantons are also restricted:

• Las Naves (Bolívar)
• Echendía (Bolívar)
• La Maná (Cotopaxi)
• La Troncal (Cañar)

Not affected: Azuay (including Cuenca), Loja (including Vilcabamba), Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Imbabura (including Cotacachi), and the Galápagos Islands are not under curfew.

No Safe-Conduct Passes

Interior Minister John Reimberg explicitly stated that no salvoconductos (safe-conduct passes) will be issued. He referenced abuses of such documents during the Covid-era curfews as the reason for this policy.

Only three groups are exempt:

1. Public and private healthcare workers
2. Police and security forces
3. Emergency management and disaster response personnel

Everyone else must be off the streets between 11 PM and 5 AM. No exceptions for work shifts, personal emergencies, or travel.

First Night: 124 Detained

Police Commander Pablo Dávila confirmed 124 people were detained during the first night of the curfew — 119 for violating mobility restrictions and 5 for other criminal offenses. Bolívar province recorded the highest number of detentions, which Dávila attributed to residents being "unaccustomed to such measures."

School Schedule Changes

The curfew has triggered ripple effects on daily life:

• Quito public schools have adjusted their start time to 7:45 AM to synchronize student commutes with modified public transit schedules
• Costa and Galápagos schools reopened on May 4 with schedule adjustments to accommodate curfew restrictions
• Private schools in Quito may voluntarily adopt the same schedule

What This Means for Expats

If you live in an affected province:

• Plan all evening activities to end well before 11 PM
• Medical workers should carry identification proving their exemption
• There are no exceptions for late flights, rideshare trips, or hotel check-ins
• Enforcement is active — police conducted residential operations in Guayaquil on the first night

If you're traveling:

• La Troncal (on the Cuenca–Guayaquil highway) is under curfew. Time your drives accordingly
• Quito, Guayaquil, and all coastal provinces are affected
• Domestic flights after 11 PM may face complications — check with your airline
• Intercity bus terminals have adjusted schedules to accommodate curfew hours

If you live outside the curfew zones:

• Cuenca, Vilcabamba, Cotacachi, and the Galápagos are unaffected
• However, travel to affected provinces requires planning around the 11 PM restriction

The curfew runs through May 18. The government has not indicated whether it may be extended.

Sources: Primicias, El Universo, El Telégrafo, Teleamazonas