New State of Exception Declared Across 9 Provinces -- No Curfew, But Warrantless Raids Authorized

Ecuador is under a new state of exception -- the latest in a series of emergency measures that have become a recurring feature of President Daniel Noboa's security strategy.

On April 2, 2026, Noboa signed Decreto 353, declaring a 60-day state of exception covering nine provinces and four additional cantons. The decree went into effect immediately.

What Is Covered

The following provinces are under the state of exception:

• Pichincha (Quito)
• Guayas (Guayaquil)
• Manabi (Manta, Portoviejo)
• Santa Elena (Salinas, Montanita)
• Los Rios (Babahoyo, Quevedo)
• El Oro (Machala)
• Esmeraldas
• Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas
• Sucumbios (Amazon border region)

Four additional cantons outside these provinces are also included, though the full list depends on the specific security assessments by the Joint Command of the Armed Forces.

Notably absent from the list: Azuay (Cuenca), Loja (Vilcabamba), Imbabura (Cotacachi/Otavalo), and Tungurahua (Banos). The southern highlands and northern highlands expat corridors are not covered by this decree.

What Rights Are Suspended

Decrete 353 suspends two specific constitutional rights:

1. Inviolability of domicile -- Security forces can enter private homes and businesses without a judicial warrant. Under normal circumstances, Ecuadorian law requires a judge-issued order to search a private residence
2. Privacy of correspondence -- Authorities can intercept mail, packages, and electronic communications without prior judicial authorization

What is NOT suspended:

• Freedom of movement -- There is no curfew. You can move freely at any hour
• Freedom of assembly -- Gatherings and protests are not restricted under this decree
• Right to due process -- Arrests still require probable cause, and detainees retain their rights to legal representation

Why Now

The decree follows the same pattern Ecuador has seen since early 2024: the government uses emergency powers to authorize military and police operations targeting organized crime, particularly drug trafficking networks operating in the coastal provinces and border regions.

The nine provinces covered by Decreto 353 represent the geographic core of Ecuador's security crisis. Guayas and Esmeraldas remain the epicenters of gang violence, while Sucumbios is the primary corridor for Colombian cartel activity crossing into Ecuador. Manabi and Los Rios have seen increasing criminal organization activity in port cities and rural areas.

The government is framing this as a continuation of its security strategy, which Interior Minister Reimberg says has contributed to a 28% drop in homicides in March 2026.

What This Means for Expats

If you live in one of the nine covered provinces, the practical implications are:

• Your home can be searched without a warrant. This is the most significant change. In practice, security forces are targeting known criminal safe houses and drug storage locations, not random residential properties. But the legal authority exists, and mistakes can happen
• Keep your identification on you at all times. Your cedula (if you have one) or passport should be accessible. Security checkpoints may increase, particularly in Guayaquil, Esmeraldas, and border areas
• There is no curfew. You can go out at night, travel freely, and maintain your normal routine. This is a key distinction from previous states of exception that included nighttime curfews
• Your digital communications could be monitored. The suspension of correspondence privacy is broad. Use encrypted messaging if you have sensitive communications

If you live outside the nine provinces (Cuenca, Vilcabamba, Cotacachi, Banos), this decree does not directly affect you. Your constitutional rights remain fully in effect.

For everyone: States of exception in Ecuador have become semi-permanent. Since January 2024, the country has been under some form of emergency decree for more months than not. The Constitutional Court (Corte Constitucional) reviews each decree for compliance, but has generally upheld the government's authority to declare them when justified by security conditions.

The decree expires in 60 days (early June 2026) unless renewed.

Source: Primicias