Ecuador news, written for expats

More than 21,000 IESS affiliates accessed unemployment insurance from January through July 2026. The benefit is paid over five months, but the two available options trade higher monthly payments against the use of the individual severance balance.

Executive Decree 472 extends Ecuador’s state of exception for 30 days in 10 provinces and three cantons, including Azuay. The decree does not establish a curfew, but it keeps the previously specified suspension of home and correspondence inviolability in force.

A reform to Ecuador’s adoption process took effect on August 14 after publication in the Official Registry. It sets timelines for police investigation, technical reports, candidate suitability, matching, and civil-registry inscription.

The Council of the Judiciary has approved a three-phase method for appointing 222 temporary judges during the judicial emergency. The plan sets eligibility and scoring rules, but legal experts are still questioning how temporary appointments will protect independence and how long they will last.

Enrollment for students entering Ecuador’s public-school system for the first time opens August 12 for the 2026–2027 Sierra–Amazonía school year. The process is free and online, with a first window running through August 17 and a later no-document window on August 18.

Ecuador’s customs service says it collected USD 168.57 million in one week, 7.8% above the previous record and 74% above the average of the last 52 weeks. The Guayaquil Maritime District generated USD 102.83 million and exceeded its weekly projection by more than 50%.