Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Guayaquil airport officials said the Jose Joaquin de Olmedo terminal remained operational for domestic and international flights after a June 17 shooting outside the airport. Access was temporarily restricted while police worked the scene, but authorities said passengers inside the building were safe.
Guayaquil has more than 100 kilometers of streets under intervention across the north, center and south of the city. Some merchants report sales declines of 40% to 50% as road closures and restricted access affect customer traffic.
Guayaquil recorded 300 road deaths in 2025, a 15% increase from 2024, and 75% of those killed were pedestrians or motorcyclists. ATM data also tied 208 of the 300 deaths to speeding-related incidents.
Ecuador's customs service found 21 hidden iPhones in luggage from a passenger arriving from Panama at Guayaquil's airport. In a separate Quito airport case, customs also retained about 6,000 dental medical-device items including implants, ligatures and resins.
IESS says Teodoro Maldonado Carbo Hospital allocated $435,083 for medications and supplies, including antibiotics, neonatal respiratory supplies, suction hoses and Tocilizumab. For expats using IESS or watching the public system, this is a concrete supply update with named purchases and dollar amounts.
Guayaquil saw flooding for the second consecutive day after intense rain affected northern, central and southern sectors. Critical points included Sauces, Samanes, Las Orquideas, Bastion and Via Perimetral.
An American Airlines flight from Guayaquil to Miami returned to Jose Joaquin de Olmedo airport on June 7 after departing at 14:49. The aircraft had advanced toward Esmeraldas before changing course back to Guayaquil.
Ecuavisa reports that Guayaquil's ATM will install a traffic light at kilometer 14.5 of Via a la Costa after protests over fatal crashes, while Expreso reports residents have criticized the lack of safe pedestrian crossings in the area.
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.
Ecuador's health regulator Arcsa closed a crab restaurant in Sauces 6, north Guayaquil, after multiple citizens reported gastrointestinal illness. Inspectors found no operating permit, expired products, and a bathroom in the kitchen area.
A young woman was abducted in Urdesa after boarding what appeared to be a legitimate ride-share vehicle. Three attackers forced her to unlock her banking apps via facial recognition, drained over $1,000, and demanded $500 more for her release.
Ecuador's Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries Minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo met with the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce in Guayaquil on April 14 to walk through the US Reciprocal Trade Agreement. Headline: 57% of non-oil exports get zero tariffs. Concerns: competition with subsidized US agricultural products.
