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Results for “National Assembly”Clear
Ecuador's National Assembly passed a new mining and energy law 77-70 on February 26, replacing environmental licenses with simplified authorizations and allowing rock extraction in the Galapagos Islands. CONAIE and environmental groups are protesting the changes as a rollback of decades of conservation policy.
An electoral judge suspended Citizens' Revolution (RC), former President Rafael Correa's party, for nine months — just two days after a complaint was filed and without a defense hearing. The timing effectively bars the party from registering candidates for 2027 local elections.
Ecuador's Constitutional Court declared the SECA trade agreement with South Korea compliant on March 19. The deal grants tariff-free access for 98.8% of Ecuadorian products and covers investment, technology transfer, energy, and infrastructure cooperation.
The United States and Ecuador formally signed their Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on March 13, 2026, cutting tariffs on 53% of non-oil exports worth $2.8 billion. Key sectors including bananas, shrimp, cocoa, coffee, and flowers get preferential access, while Ecuador eliminates its price band system on U.S. agricultural imports.
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%.
Ecuador's National Assembly voted 116–0 to censure and remove Judicial Council president Mario Godoy for 'manifest ineffectiveness' — a rare unanimous decision that could reshape how the courts handle visa cases, property disputes, and legal proceedings.
Indigenous leader Marlon Vargas calls President Noboa's urgent mining and energy reform a threat to water, territories, and collective rights. The National Assembly has until March 2 to vote on the bill, and CONAIE is calling for unity against it.
Ecuador's Constitutional Court has determined that the trade agreement negotiated with South Korea requires a full legislative vote before ratification — a higher procedural bar than the recently concluded U.S. deal.
An 'urgent' efficiency law working through the National Assembly would force Quito to slash current spending and could eliminate 5,000 municipal positions. Mental health services, community dining, animal welfare programs, and even Metro expansion plans are on the chopping block.
The National Assembly approved the Organic Law for Strengthening Cybersecurity with 82 votes. The law requires mandatory cybersecurity education in schools, establishes incident reporting obligations for organizations, and aligns Ecuador with international standards like ISO 27000 and the Budapest Convention.
Ecuador’s second-largest city lost its mayor. Aquiles Alvarez was ordered into preventive detention on organized crime and fuel trafficking charges as part of the ‘Caso Goleada’ investigation. He was transferred to Latacunga prison — 11 others arrested across Guayas province.
A bill working its way through Ecuador's legislature would establish a dedicated digital nomad visa with a $1,500 monthly income requirement and a two-year term -- potentially making the country far more accessible for remote workers.
