Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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HIV patients at Quito's Carlos Andrade Marin Hospital say they have gone more than 15 days without TLD antiretroviral medication. Patient advocates estimate 1,600 HIV patients are treated at HCAM, while national health figures put Ecuador's HIV population at 52,357 people.
Primicias reports President Daniel Noboa ordered Ecuador's security tariff on Colombian imports eliminated from June 1. The tariff had reached 100% during the trade dispute and affected products including medicines, cosmetics and plastic and rubber manufactures.
Monthly inflation reached 0.53% in April 2026, driven mainly by transport costs, with annual inflation at 2.6%. Meanwhile Ecuador's tariff on Colombian goods escalated to 100% on May 1. What it means for anyone living here on a fixed or foreign income.
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 tariff on Colombian goods jumps from 50% to 100% on May 1, effectively shutting down $2 billion in annual trade. Truck traffic at Rumichaca has already dropped to 30-40% of normal. Sugar, medical supplies, and medications are all on the list.
ARCSA reviewed 2,100+ registered products and reclassified 30 active ingredients as prescription-only. If you're used to buying certain medicines at the farmacia without a receta, some of those purchases just got harder.
ARCSA reviewed over 2,100 products and removed 30 active ingredients from over-the-counter status, including triclosán and mercury chrome. Some cold medications now require prescriptions. Here's the new reality at your local farmacia.
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.
Friday April 3 is a mandatory national holiday in Ecuador. Banks are closed through Sunday, government offices shut down, but supermarkets and pharmacies stay open. President Noboa's VAT reduction to 8% on tourism services kicks in for the long weekend.
Ecuador's Semana Santa holiday runs April 3-5 with Good Friday as a national holiday. Banks and government offices close, IVA drops to 8% for tourism, and major processions take place across Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Riobamba. Here's your practical guide.
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.
Ecuador's 2026 budget includes no allocation for IESS medical care, leaving the social security system with an estimated $1 billion shortfall. Medication shortages and emergency room waits of 4-8 hours are already widespread.
