Ecuador news, written for expats

New customs reforms took effect July 29 and expand the circumstances in which goods can be declared abandoned. The rules include a one-month deadline after detention for tourists seeking to regularize or recover temporarily imported vehicles.

Guayaquil's transit agency says urban operators cannot raise fares yet, despite notices claiming a 50-cent fare would begin July 30. The current authorized fare remains 30 cents while vehicle reviews are prepared.

Archaeological monitoring at Quito's former San Lazaro Hospital uncovered 11 fired-clay vessels beneath the western cloister. The discovery comes during a restoration of the 7,000-square-meter historic complex.

Ecuador's national transit board approved a 25% adjustment for interprovincial and intraprovincial passenger fares. The measure is tied to transport-cost pressure and applies over the fare table in force since 2021.

BIESS says its Credicasa housing loan requires a minimum credit score of 650, with financing of up to USD 65,000 for a first new home and a maximum term of 30 years.

Ecuador's economy has shown growth in 2025 and early 2026, but informality remains above 60% of the labor force and only about three in 10 Ecuadorians have adequate employment.