Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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Celec says high river flows, sediment and rocky material damaged part of the Coca Codo Sinclair area after more than 20 continuous hours of pressure from the Coca River. El Comercio reports the national electric system remains guaranteed, but the episode shows why Amazon river conditions still matter for electricity users across Ecuador.
Loja's city council archived a proposal to raise the urban bus fare from 30 to 36 cents, but the transport consortium says the suspension of service remains indefinite. Expreso reports students, workers and merchants are being hit hardest while legal action seeks to restore service.
Ecuador's National Assembly approved a new marine-coastal governance law on May 21. Expreso reports it creates tools to protect breaking waves, regulate maritime activities and catalog important surf zones.
SECAP has opened 30,000 free virtual course spots through the Compromiso por el Empleo program. Courses run 60 to 90 hours and cover areas like e-commerce, web programming, gastronomy, computer maintenance, basic electricity and auto mechanics.
El Comercio reports that Quito's seven main monitored crime indicators fell 25% between January 1 and May 9 compared with 2025. Robbery against people remains the most common issue, and neighborhood leaders still warn about underreporting and reactive policing.
Expreso reports that Ecuador's 2026 curfews have accumulated 30 days of restrictions and affected at least 120,000 businesses. One economist estimated losses between USD 16 million and USD 32 million, with the hardest hit in nightlife, restaurants, logistics and small businesses.
Ecuador's traffic agency says the SUIT platform is still affecting license issuance, appointments, web certificates and vehicle-registration processes tied to municipal GADs. La Hora reports Monday and Tuesday appointments will be reprogrammed with priority.
Risk officials warned that 14 beaches in Esmeraldas, Manabi and Santa Elena would carry red flags on May 19. Primicias reports the warning is tied to an aguaje phase that moved the sea from moderate to agitated conditions.
The Battle of Pichincha holiday falls on Sunday in 2026, so Ecuador's mandatory rest day shifts to Monday, May 25. Expreso reports the country will have a three-day weekend, with no Friday transfer.
The nationwide nighttime curfew under Executive Decree 370 ended at 5:00 a.m. Monday, May 18, after 15 days. Authorities reported 3,422 people detained nationwide, 378 raids, 5.9 tons of drugs and 405 firearms seized. Here's the final picture and what changes now for foreign residents.
Ecuador's weather service flagged moderate-to-heavy rain, electrical storms, strong wind gusts and flooding risk from 4:00 p.m. May 17 until noon May 20, spanning coastal, highland and Amazon provinces. Here's who's affected and what to do.
Monthly inflation reached 0.53% in April 2026, driven mainly by transport costs, with annual inflation at 2.6%. Meanwhile Ecuador's tariff on Colombian goods escalated to 100% on May 1. What it means for anyone living here on a fixed or foreign income.
