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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.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Ecuador's coast near Santa Elena and Guayas early Saturday morning, April 4. The quake was felt across 6 provinces but caused no damage, injuries, or tsunami alert. It follows a 4.1 magnitude tremor near Loja on April 2.
Ecuador's Semana Santa holiday runs April 3-5 with Good Friday as a national holiday. Banks and government offices close, IVA drops to 8% for tourism, and major processions take place across Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Riobamba. Here's your practical guide.
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.
Semana Santa runs March 29 through April 5 this year, with Good Friday (April 3) as the national holiday. Banks close, alcohol sales may be restricted, and beach towns fill up fast. Here is everything expats need to know.
A nightly curfew from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM remains in effect in Guayas, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and El Oro through at least March 31. Around 75,000 soldiers and police are deployed. Cuenca and Azuay are not affected.
Holy Week starts next weekend. Good Friday (April 3) is the only mandatory national holiday — Thursday is NOT a holiday this year. Expect massive domestic travel to the coast, packed buses, and Quito's world-famous processions.
Holy Week runs March 29 to April 5. Good Friday (April 3) is a national holiday. Banks close, highways jam, ATMs run dry. Here's everything you need to know — from Quito's processions to beach town crowds to sierra road conditions.
Ecuador's 60-day state of emergency declared January 1 has been extended for an additional 30 days across nine provinces and three municipalities. With a record 9,000 homicides in 2025, President Noboa is doubling down on military deployments as the country remains in a declared state of 'internal armed conflict.'
A total lunar eclipse will be visible across all of Ecuador on March 3, 2026. The moon will turn a deep red during approximately 58 minutes of totality, with the entire event lasting over five hours. Here is everything you need to know to watch it.
A man was shot dead by hitmen Friday morning in Manta's Ceibo Renacer sector, bringing the body count to 66 in 44 days. A separate massacre in Santa Ana marked the third mass-killing event in Manabí province this year.
Gunmen opened fire at the artisanal fishing pier in San Vicente, Manabí, on February 9, killing at least four fishermen and injuring one. The attack occurred in a canton under an active state of emergency and raises fresh concerns about safety in Ecuador's coastal beach towns.
