Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
September 17 morning reports describe a partial closure on Avenida Velasco Ibarra and continued firefighting in La Vicentina and Itchimbía. The park is closed for inspections, while authorities repeat smoke precautions for nearby residents.
Cuenca has seen a recent increase in motorcycle-based cell phone thefts, with multiple incidents reported on September 15. In separate law enforcement actions, police arrested an individual with an active warrant and a drug trafficker received a 19-year prison sentence.
President Daniel Noboa issued Executive Decree 498 on September 15, 2026, declaring a 60-day state of exception across eight provinces and three cantons. This measure includes the suspension of certain rights and the deployment of the Armed Forces, with a specific curfew for four coastal provinces.
Guido Fernando Rodríguez Vargas, known as ‘Comandante 7’ and a leader of the criminal group Los Tiguerones, has been expelled from Colombia and arrived in Ecuador on September 16, 2026. He faces charges for organized crime and homicide and will be transferred to El Encuentro prison in Santa Elena.
Ecuador is preparing for a significant intensification of El Niño-related rains, with the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi) forecasting a marked increase between November and December 2026. The Litoral region has already entered an atmospheric transition phase, and Guayaquil has experienced record-breaking rainfall in September.
A shooting in Montañita, Santa Elena, in the early morning of Sunday, September 13, resulted in the death of one person and injuries to four others, all foreign citizens. The incident occurred in a central tourist area, with three of the injured remaining in critical condition. This event unfolds while Santa Elena is under a state of exception.
Ecuador's government has announced a temporary curfew for Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos, and El Oro provinces, effective from September 17 to September 30, 2026. The measure restricts circulation between 00:00 and 05:00, with a critical detail: no safe-conducts of any type will be issued during this period.
President Daniel Noboa recently highlighted significant progress in nationwide operations targeting drug trafficking, criminal gangs, and illegal mining, with over 8 tons of drugs seized and more than 1,100 illegal mining camps destroyed as of September 2026.
Ecuador's Public Security Council convened to bolster national security actions, coinciding with the capture of a key 'Los Tiguerones' leader in Colombia and the US designation of the gang as a foreign terrorist organization. These developments signal a concerted effort to combat organized crime.
Fresh reports describe different local preparedness tasks. Neither establishes a prediction for an individual home.
Ecuador’s Police reported four tons of drugs, 16 rifles, 6,000 rounds of ammunition, GPS buoys, five boats, and four arrests in Operation Manglar in Posorja. Authorities say the investigation is still developing.
Quito’s September 8 Pico y placa restriction applies to cars and motorcycles with plates ending in 3 or 4. The restricted windows are 6:00–9:30 a.m. and 4:00–8:00 p.m.
