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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.
President Daniel Noboa named Roberto Kury as Ecuador's new foreign minister after Gabriela Sommerfeld resigned for personal and health reasons. The change matters to expats because the Foreign Ministry oversees mobility, consular services, visas, and Ecuador's international agenda.
A legal reform moving through Ecuador's Assembly aims to clear about 12,000 abandoned containers from the country's ports. The backlog includes roughly $450 million in retained cargo and average wait times of 365 days.
Expreso reports that Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport won Airport of the Year in the 2026 NCE Airports Awards, along with three additional recognitions for aviation infrastructure technology, social value and sustainable construction.
Average salary expectations have dropped 2.66% this quarter to $818, while the basic food basket costs $829. Here's what the gap means for Ecuador's economy and the expat cost-of-living picture.
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.
Interior Minister Reimberg told AFP that organized crime groups have launched roughly 600 drone attempts at El Encuentro prison since it opened. The government says it will build as many mega-prisons as needed.
Police in Guayaquil dismantled a massive phone theft operation involving 25,000 stolen devices valued at over $3 million. Authorities recovered approximately 30% of the phones through device tracking. The scale reveals how organized phone theft has become -- and why basic security practices matter for every resident.
The UAE and Ecuador signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi's visit, unlocking over $3 billion in investment across clean energy, digital infrastructure, mining, logistics, and agriculture. Ecuador becomes the fourth Latin American country with a UAE trade deal.
Ecuador shipped 125,200 tonnes of shrimp in January 2026, a 23% increase year-over-year. China remains the top buyer at 49.5% of volume, though its share has declined from 54.2% in 2024. The industry projects a 15% increase for the full year.
A joint Europol-Ecuador operation dismantled a Los Lobos-linked trafficking network, seizing 3.7 tonnes of cocaine in the Netherlands, 3+ tonnes in Belgium, and over half a tonne in Ecuador. 16 arrested including a high-value target. $810,000 in cash confiscated.
Ecuador's Constitutional Court declared the Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA) with South Korea constitutional, clearing the final legal hurdle. 98.8% of Ecuador's exportable products will enter Korea tariff-free, opening access to 51 million consumers.
