Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck near the Ecuador-Peru border at 3:30 AM on April 2, with an epicenter 44.91 km from Macara in Loja province at a depth of 63 km. No damage or injuries have been reported.
A New York Times investigation found that a joint U.S.-Ecuador military strike in early March, promoted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as destroying a drug trafficking camp, actually destroyed a cattle and dairy farm in San Martin. Workers reported beatings, choking, and electrical shocks by soldiers.
Ecuador's government announced intentional homicides dropped 28% in March 2026 year-over-year, following a two-week nightly curfew in four provinces. The curfew provinces -- Guayas, Los Rios, El Oro, and Santo Domingo -- are not major expat areas, but the security trend is nationally significant.
A joint Europol-Ecuador operation dismantled a Los Lobos-linked trafficking network, seizing 3.7 tonnes of cocaine in the Netherlands, 3+ tonnes in Belgium, and over half a tonne in Ecuador. 16 arrested including a high-value target. $810,000 in cash confiscated.
The two-week nightly curfew across four coastal provinces ends March 30, concluding the largest single anti-narcotics mobilization in South American history. 75,000 soldiers and police were deployed with U.S. Reaper drone support and FBI intelligence.
The FBI opened a permanent office at the U.S. Embassy in Quito on March 12, assigning a full-time agent to coordinate joint investigations targeting drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and money laundering. Ecuador simultaneously created a new National Police unit to work alongside the bureau.
Jose Vinces, 44, founder of Vinces TV, was shot 10 times by two gunmen on a motorcycle after being lured to a cemetery by a fabricated tip about human remains. His microphone helped stop a bullet. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the attack and called for investigation.
Jose Vinces, founder of Vinces TV in El Oro province, was shot by two gunmen at a cemetery after being lured by a fabricated tip. The Committee to Protect Journalists has demanded a full investigation. Ecuador saw 168 attacks on journalists in 2025.
The United States has deployed approximately 75,000 military personnel to Ecuador in a historic first, marking the largest U.S. military operation in South America in decades. The deployment aims to combat narcotrafficking networks operating along Ecuador's coast and border regions.
Ecuador has imposed an 11pm-to-5am curfew in four coastal provinces — Guayas, Los Rios, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, and El Oro — as part of the ongoing state of emergency. The restriction runs through at least March 30, 2026.
Ecuador's security situation varies dramatically by region. The highlands — including Quito, Cuenca, and Loja — remain relatively stable, while coastal provinces face serious security challenges. Here is a province-by-province overview for expats.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has established its first permanent office in Ecuador, operating out of the U.S. Embassy in Quito. The office will focus on counter-narcotics intelligence, transnational crime, and cybercrime affecting both nations.
