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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation of Ecuador’s Chone Killers as a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry thanked the United States for the backing.
LATAM has opened ticket sales for a new direct Quito-Santiago route beginning in December 2026. The airline says it will operate four weekly flights, add about 35,000 seats per year and reduce travel time by roughly 1.5 to 3 hours compared with connecting options.
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.
Ecuadorian authorities say five people were detained in an alleged migrant-trafficking network that operated in Guayas and Tungurahua. The case involves current and former Migration officials, real passports used with substituted identities, and alleged illegal fees of $5,000 to $8,000.
President Daniel Noboa issued Executive Decree 424 on June 18, opening a path for allied foreign military personnel to support Ecuador’s security operations. Officials say foreign troops are not expected immediately, while 13,000 Ecuadorian military personnel are being deployed to Guayas, Manabí, El Oro and Los Ríos.
Ronald Javier Macias Villamar, known as alias Javi and identified as the brother of Los Choneros leader alias Fito, was captured in Colombia. Ecuadorian officials say the operation involved the National Police, Armed Forces, National Intelligence Center and Colombian authorities.
The U.S. Trade Representative is proposing a 10% tariff for Ecuador and five other economies over enforcement of forced-labor import bans. Public comments are open until July 6, and Ecuador’s current 10% surcharge expires July 24.
President Daniel Noboa said the Quito Metro expansion will start during this period, while El Comercio reports the La Ofelia extension remains in definitive studies and still needs total-financing authorization from the national government.
President Noboa meets VP Vance this week to discuss security, migration, and trade. Ecuador is also seeking a civilian nuclear energy agreement with the US — a first.
Aeropuerto de Cancún acquired the Brazilian partner's stake in Quiport, gaining indirect control of Mariscal Sucre. Ecuador's competition regulator approved the deal.
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.
