Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Results for “Ambato”Clear
Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health has launched dengue prevention interventions across 1,500 critical sectors in seven provinces, with 945 confirmed cases reported in early 2026. Sucumbios, Guayas, Esmeraldas, and Pichincha are the hardest hit as the rainy season continues.
President Noboa signed a decree suspending work on April 30, creating a 4-day weekend alongside May 1 (Labor Day). Banks, government offices, and many businesses will close April 30 through May 3. Expect heavy domestic travel, booked hotels, and coastal congestion.
Baños de Agua Santa reached 100% hotel occupancy for Easter weekend, drawing approximately 30,000 daily visitors. The adventure tourism hotspot is a popular expat day-trip destination. Expect heavy traffic on the Ambato-Baños highway and congested attractions through April 5.
Friday April 3 is a mandatory national holiday in Ecuador. Banks are closed through Sunday, government offices shut down, but supermarkets and pharmacies stay open. President Noboa's VAT reduction to 8% on tourism services kicks in for the long weekend.
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.
Semana Santa runs from March 29 to April 5 this year, with Good Friday on April 3 as the national holiday. Expect bank closures, alcohol restrictions, packed beaches, and one of Ecuador's most significant cultural celebrations.
President Noboa's executive decree MDT.2026-059 allows employers to schedule 10-hour workdays within the existing 40-hour weekly cap. Unions were not consulted, and mass protests erupted on March 13 in Quito and Guayaquil. Noboa's approval rating has dropped to 38%.
U.S. Special Operations forces launched joint military operations in Ecuador on March 3, 2026, alongside 75,000 Ecuadorian troops. A curfew from 11 PM to 5 AM is in effect through March 31 in Guayas, El Oro, Los Rios, and Santo Domingo provinces — not in the highlands or Cuenca. Over 253 people have been arrested for curfew violations.
Ecuador deployed 75,000 soldiers and police to Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas with a nightly curfew from 11 PM to 5 AM through March 31. Here's what expats traveling to the coast or flying through Guayaquil need to know.
The United States and Ecuador have concluded negotiations on a historic Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) that eliminates the 15% surcharge on roughly half of Ecuador's non-petroleum exports — worth $3.2 billion annually. The deal shields Ecuadorian flowers, bananas, cacao, and seafood from the new 10% global US tariff.
Ecuador's Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor) projects 6-7% export growth for 2026, a significant slowdown from the 18% surge in 2025. Headwinds include US tariff uncertainty, the Colombia trade dispute, and falling cacao prices — but the new US trade deal and flower sector expansion offer upside.
