Ecuador Assembly Approves New Extradition Law

Ecuador has approved a new extradition law.

The National Assembly approved the law unanimously on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The new framework replaces the extradition law that had been in force since 2000.

The law develops the extradition mechanism approved in the April 2024 popular consultation, when voters approved the possibility of extraditing Ecuadorian citizens in certain cases.

What Changed

The stated purpose is to strengthen international cooperation against transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, and other serious crimes.

One central change is speed. Some extradition processes had taken between three and six years, despite shorter legal timelines. The new law is meant to accelerate both active and passive extradition procedures.

The law also defines the institutional roles: the presidency of the National Court of Justice acts as the central extradition authority, the foreign ministry channels and reviews international requests, and the presidency of the republic intervenes in the final phase according to its legal powers.

While an extradition case is being processed, the prescription period for preventive detention is suspended.

What This Means For Expats

For foreign residents, this is mainly a national security and legal-system story. It does not change ordinary residency rules, but it is part of Ecuador's broader attempt to align criminal procedure with international cooperation.

The law also keeps limits: Ecuador will not grant extraditions when the requesting state does not guarantee the right to life, when there is risk of torture or cruel treatment, or when due process is not respected. Extradition also cannot apply to acts that occurred before the 2024 constitutional reform.