Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
The Consejo de la Judicatura filed a criminal complaint with the Fiscalía General alleging a network solicited payments from judges and prosecutors to alter disciplinary reports. The institution says: 'No habrá encubrimientos.'
Prosecutors are expanding the high-profile 'Goleada' money laundering case against Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Álvarez to include his wife, mother, and two brothers — bringing the total number of defendants to 17.
President Noboa meets VP Vance this week to discuss security, migration, and trade. Ecuador is also seeking a civilian nuclear energy agreement with the US — a first.
Juan Carlos Blum is now the fifth person to lead Ecuador's energy portfolio since November 2023. A former minister calls it 'a responsibility of the highest risk.' The blackouts, failed contracts, and investigations explain why.
Ecuador's Attorney General is seeking to formally charge 21 people — including a former Celec manager and former Energy Minister — with embezzlement tied to emergency contracts during the 2024 blackout crisis. Estimated damages exceed $100 million.
President Noboa's Decreto Ejecutivo 354 bridges Thursday April 30 to the May 1 national holiday, giving public and private sector workers four consecutive days off. Overtime is double pay. Here's what closes.
Ecuador's National Assembly approved a report (79-56-6) confirming organized crime has infiltrated municipal traffic agencies, weaponizing vehicle registration systems for 'legalizing criminal logistics.' Recommended reform: centralize registration under the national ANT.
President Daniel Noboa announced cabinet changes on April 20, installing Jaime Bernabé Erazo as Minister of Health effective immediately. The Ministry of Environment and Energy will receive a new minister on April 30, with the current officeholder stepping down.
The National Assembly approved a law making financial education mandatory across all levels of Ecuador's education system, from early childhood to university. The curriculum will cover electronic fraud prevention, safe digital platform use, and AI literacy. Revolución Ciudadana voted against despite one legislator calling it 'objective and technical.'
Environment and Energy Minister Inés Manzano announced leadership changes at both CNEL (the national distribution utility) and CENACE (the grid operator) this week after widespread blackouts and what she called 'slow and inefficient' responses. Juan Carlos Blum — a mechanical engineer with a background in multilateral energy work — is the new CNEL general manager.
At a high-level meeting in Quito, Ecuador formally asked Paraguay to classify Los Choneros, Los Lobos, Los Tiguerones, Chone Killers, and Latin Kings as terrorist organizations. Paraguay's response was non-conclusive. A Paraguayan presidential visit is scheduled for July, with a follow-up coordination meeting in Asunción on September 2.
Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld released Ecuador's 2025 foreign affairs report, highlighting 107 bilateral instruments signed, $343.9 million in non-reimbursable international cooperation, 529,685 online visa appointments, and a 97.98% budget execution rate. The headline policy win: more than 7,400 tariff lines going to 0% under the US trade deal.
