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Holy Week runs Palm Sunday (March 29) through Easter Sunday (April 5). Good Friday April 3 is the national holiday. Holy Thursday April 2 is NOT a holiday unless the government issues a special decree. Banks, government offices, and most businesses close April 3.
Holy Week runs March 29 through April 5 this year. Good Friday (April 3) is a non-recoverable national holiday. Holy Thursday is NOT a public holiday. Here is what expats need to know about closures, events, and travel.
Ecuador has expelled all Cuban diplomatic personnel after embassy staff were reportedly filmed burning documents in the courtyard of the Cuban Embassy in Quito. The move signals a sharp break in relations between the two countries.
Ecuador's visa system has seen several updates for 2026, including the rollout of an electronic visa application system, a new SBU of $482 that affects financial requirements, and mandatory health insurance for all residency applicants.
Ecuador's Registro Civil has extended walk-in service for cédulas and passports through July 31, 2026. No online appointment required at any of the 64 agencies nationwide. In Cuenca, the San Blas office can issue a passport in about 30 minutes.
Angel Esteban Aguilar, known as "Lobo Menor," was captured at Mexico City's airport with a fake Colombian passport. He's the alleged mastermind behind the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio — and the leader of one of Ecuador's most dangerous criminal organizations.
Ecuador's tax authority is sending notifications to taxpayers with unfiled income tax declarations from previous years — some going back to 2019. Recipients have just 10 business days to respond, and the SRI's seven-year review window means old oversights can surface without warning.
Loja province has been placed on orange alert and emergency warehouses now hold over 6,000 humanitarian aid kits — three times the historical average. Three cantons are under active watch as the rainy season intensifies across Ecuador's southern highlands.
The Metropolitan Traffic Agency will blanket Quito with 711 officers, 36 control points on major highways, and monitoring at 63 high-traffic locations from February 13-17. Drunk driving operations, terminal coverage, and restrictions on ‘chivas’ party buses are all in effect.
Ecuador's largest city lost its mayor in a pre-dawn raid on February 10. Prosecutors detained 11 people — including Alvarez and his two brothers — on charges of organized crime, money laundering, and tax fraud. The vice mayor called it political persecution.
President Noboa declared a fresh state of emergency on January 2 covering nine provinces and three municipalities after a mass shooting in Manta. Military operations target Los Lobos, Los Choneros, and Los Tiguerones. Here's what it means for daily life.
