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Ecuador and the United States signed a border-security implementation letter on June 22 to coordinate against transnational crime, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other border-zone threats.
Petroecuador activated a contingency plan after a clandestine perforation caused a fuel spill on the Esmeraldas-Santo Domingo pipeline at kilometer 105. The company said the leak was controlled before 11:00, no people or water sources had been affected, and national fuel supply remained normal.
Ecuador is checking gas stations, terminals and distribution centers before fuel prices update on June 12. Officials say gasoline extra, ecopaís, diesel and super are being dispatched normally, while the Esmeraldas refinery has recovered to about 90% of technical capacity.
Primicias reports that Petroecuador produced 356,867 barrels per day in April 2026, down 17,733 barrels per day from April 2025. The shortfall came while Ecuador's crude prices stayed well above the state budget assumption.
The May 12 price adjustment is official — diesel crossed $3/gallon for the first time, stations in Quito and Guayaquil are running dry, and Ecuador is importing 65% of its fuel. The refinery FCC unit restarts May 15.
Juan Carlos Blum is now the fifth person to lead Ecuador's energy portfolio since November 2023. A former minister calls it 'a responsibility of the highest risk.' The blackouts, failed contracts, and investigations explain why.
After months of escalating tariffs, Ecuador will reduce duties on Colombian imports from 100% to 75%. Cosmetics, medicines, plastics, and automotive parts are the primary categories affected.
Ecuador's free trade agreement with China turned two on May 1. Imports from China surged 30% to $7.8 billion while exports barely grew. The non-petroleum trade deficit ballooned from $335 million to $1.9 billion. Here's what the numbers actually show.
The incoming Energy Minister inherits a five-front crisis: a 900+ MW power generation gap, record electricity demand of 5,374 MW, oil output at its lowest since 2003, and a dormant mining cadastre. Here's what that means for daily life.
The Cangrejos project, ranked 13th among the world's largest undeveloped gold deposits, gets a 26-year exploitation contract. Chinese-backed Odin Mining will invest $1.6 billion and generate 1,168 jobs. The government expects $6 billion in total revenue.
Ecuador's riesgo país fell to 404 points on April 22, the lowest since 2015. GDP grew 3.7% in 2025, international reserves jumped 42%, and the IMF just disbursed another $394 million. Here's what the improving trajectory means for expats.
Bilateral trade between Ecuador and Colombia fell 44% year-over-year in February 2026, the first month of the tariff war — to just $124.9 million. Ecuadorian imports from Colombia dropped 66%. Exports fell 20%. Pharma imports collapsed 34%, industrial chemicals 48%, and Rumichaca's transport hub has ground to a halt.
