Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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Salinas has opened its humpback whale watching season, with accredited boats offering two-hour trips and a reported fare of $21 per passenger.
Ecuador is warning of high-energy waves from June 23 through June 25, 2026, with 12 beaches under red flag and 29 under yellow flag. The alert covers coastal and island areas and matters for beach travel, fishing and ocean activities.
Ecuador’s new state of exception applies for 60 days in ten provinces and three cantons. There is no curfew for now, but the decree allows temporary limits on home and correspondence protections while security forces operate in the covered areas.
A frontal crash between a pickup truck and a cargo truck near the Zapotal bridge left 12 people dead on June 14. ECU 911 said the crash happened at about 04:14 on the Guayaquil-Santa Elena highway.
Risk officials are monitoring high-energy waves arriving from the southwest Pacific toward Ecuador's continental and island coasts. Waves are exceeding 2.5 to 3 meters, with impacts in Santa Elena and Galapagos.
A strengthening coastal El Nino episode off Peru could reach Ecuadorian waters within two weeks. Ocean-monitoring indicators show Nino 1+2 approaching +3 C, while some sea-surface readings reached 6.4 C above average.
Primicias reports INAMHI meteorological warning 41 forecasts high-intensity rain from the afternoon of June 2 through June 5. The Amazon, north Coast and northern Sierra are the main areas to watch.
Primicias reports INAMHI warned that at least 24 Ecuadorian cities face very high UV radiation on June 1. The strongest sun window is from 10:00 to 15:00, with Azuay and Loja among provinces listed in the very high category.
El Universo reports ECU911 and the Armed Forces have removed around 1,000 irregularly installed cameras across Ecuador, including 95 in Guayaquil and recent removals in Fertisa and the Trinitaria port zone.
Primicias reports Ecuador's Judicial Council documented violent events against judicial workers, users and facilities from January 2024 through May 2026. The report includes 142 threats, 11 attacks against officials and three confirmed infrastructure attacks.
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 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.
