Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
LATAM Cargo and Avianca transported over 40,000 tons of roses from Ecuador for Valentine’s Day 2026 — the country’s biggest annual flower export event. Ecuador is the world’s third-largest flower exporter, and February is the industry’s Super Bowl.
Mariscal Sucre International Airport expanded terminal space by 17,600+ square meters, boosting annual capacity from 5 million to over 7 million passengers. Meanwhile, Aeroméxico resumes Quito-Mexico City nonstops on March 23 with four weekly flights.
EP Petroecuador reported field production of approximately 370,000 barrels per day in January 2026, with the Sacha and Auca blocks leading output. While below peak levels, the steady numbers support government revenue forecasts and reduce the risk of mid-year austerity cuts.
Hundreds of rice producers from Guayas and Los Ríos met in Santa Lucía to deliver a manifesto demanding the government enforce minimum price floors and address what they call the worst crisis in three decades. Over 500,000 jobs and $100 million in losses hang in the balance.
Quito residents are reporting water bills that tripled or quadrupled overnight after the municipality shifted garbage collection fees from the electric bill to the water bill starting February 1. The mayor says the charges are correct — the sticker shock comes from how shared meters divide the cost.
Airport fees at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport increased on February 1 under a 2004 concession contract. International departures now cost $41.14 per passenger. Here's what changed and how Ecuador compares regionally.
Ecuador's state-owned telecom CNT has begun installing 5G base stations in Cuenca as part of a 422-station nationwide rollout built with Nokia. Speeds up to 1.5 Gbps are expected by mid-year.
The 18 km Chone-Bahia road is 92% complete, with full reopening expected by early March. Tourism dropped 30-35% during the two-year construction period. Here's what to expect.
Three major north-south corridors will get exclusive bus lanes by Q4 2026, complementing the Metro de Quito. The $28 million project aims to serve 180,000 daily passengers.
Three months after launch, Latin America's highest-altitude metro is beating ridership projections by 22%. Traffic on parallel routes is measurably declining. Here's what the numbers show.
Ecuadorians bought 11,342 vehicles in January 2026, the best January on record. Electric and hybrid vehicles now account for 22% of all sales. Azuay was the third-biggest market in the country.
Ecuador signed a bilateral mining framework with the United States at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4. The agreement positions Ecuador's copper and gold reserves as strategically important to Washington -- and adds fuel to the mining debate in Azuay.
