Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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Ecuador recorded 12,322 vehicle-embargo judicial processes in 2025, and 10,609 more from January through May 2026. The numbers matter for anyone financing a car under a pledge or title-reservation structure.
A heavy downpour on Thursday, June 11, flooded streets in Ibarra and Atuntaqui, with water rising above half a meter in some areas. In Cotacachi, farmers in Peribuela reported damaged corn and fruit crops after the storm and hail.
El Universo reports merchants and transport workers at Rumichaca expect activity to recover after Ecuador removed the 100% security charge on Colombian imports on June 1. Border workers said normal movement could take about a month to return.
An addendum to the AC59 trade agreement will lower the import tariff on cars made in Argentina from 16.1% to 10%. Industry expects the deal signed in the second half of June. The Toyota Hilux, a Toyota SUV, and the Ford Ranger are the models in play.
The government handed over 230 new patrol vehicles in Machala this week, bringing the 2026 total to 420. The $21.3 million purchase was funded by private-sector contributions under Ecuador's security law.
The Quito Metro suspended commercial operations at 5:30 AM on Monday, April 20, after a technical incident. All stations were affected. No official timeline for restoration. Here's what commuters need to know and what alternatives exist.
President Noboa ratified the SECA trade agreement with South Korea via Decreto Ejecutivo 359 on April 15, two days after the Asamblea approved it 83 votes. The deal eliminates tariffs on 98.9% of Ecuadorian exports to a 51-million-consumer market. Shrimp goes to 0% immediately. Bananas phase out over five years. Here's what's in it.
Ecuador's April 12 fuel adjustment raised Extra and Ecopaís gasoline by 4.6%, diesel by 4.7%, and Súper by 26% — from $3.62 to $4.57 per gallon. Transport associations are planning a march in Quito and warning that costs will be passed through to importers, exporters, and ultimately consumers. Here's the breakdown.
Ecuador's Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries Minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo met with the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce in Guayaquil on April 14 to walk through the US Reciprocal Trade Agreement. Headline: 57% of non-oil exports get zero tariffs. Concerns: competition with subsidized US agricultural products.
At 4:31 AM on Sunday, April 12, a bus and a light vehicle collided roughly one kilometer from the Olmedo toll plaza on the Via a la Costa in Santa Elena province. The crash killed four people and injured nine. Cause is under investigation.
In the Ietel neighborhood of north Guayaquil, residents have been without electricity for more than 15 hours since Sunday afternoon. Some families have resorted to sleeping inside their cars with the AC running. The heat wave turned a utility failure into a survival problem.
Ecuador's monthly fuel price adjustment takes effect April 12, raising prices on low-octane gasoline (Extra and Ecopais) and diesel. Super gasoline stays the same. The change pushes up transport costs and adds inflationary pressure to groceries and services.
