Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
Workers in Ecuador may have reserve funds equal to 8.33% of salary accumulated in an individual IESS account. The right begins in the second year with the same employer, and balances can be checked online with a cédula and personal password.
Quito has at least 72,020 residents with disabilities, but damaged sidewalks, missing signage, broken tactile guides and informal commerce still make daily mobility difficult. The issue affects people with disabilities, older adults, parents with strollers and everyday pedestrians.
Commercial transport drivers in several categories can no longer invoice clients directly under new SRI rules. Operators or transport companies must handle client billing, while drivers bill the operator they belong to.
Elecaustro opened a new rental process for a 90-110 MW power barge as Cenace warns of a 25% probability of electricity deficits in the 2026-2027 dry season without new generation.
The share of migrants and refugees in Ecuador with a bank account rose from 11% in 2022 to 48% in 2025, according to figures presented at a financial-inclusion event in Quito.
Extra, Ecopaís and diesel are expected to drop by about five cents per gallon from Sunday, July 12. The change follows Decreto Ejecutivo 444 and applies inside Ecuador’s fuel-price band system.
Beef without bone is one of the food items Ecuadorian households spend the most on, and sector figures point to a smaller cattle herd and supply pressure behind higher prices.
A new look at Ecuador’s transmission system shows 12 of 45 power transformers operating beyond their designed life, with several strategic substations lacking a reserve transformer.
Ecuador’s e-commerce market exceeded USD 7 billion in 2025 as faster delivery, payment options, and marketplace logistics turned online buying into a permanent habit.
Ecuador’s tax authority began a new RIMPE recategorization process on July 1. Small-business owners should check their RUC status because category changes can bring new tax obligations.
An incident at the Paute Molino substation caused outages and programmed disconnections in several parts of Ecuador early Tuesday, including Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Loja.
Salinas has opened its humpback whale watching season, with accredited boats offering two-hour trips and a reported fare of $21 per passenger.
