Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
Ecuador and the United States signed a border-security implementation letter on June 22 to coordinate against transnational crime, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other border-zone threats.
Ecuador recorded 12,322 vehicle-embargo judicial processes in 2025, and 10,609 more from January through May 2026. The numbers matter for anyone financing a car under a pledge or title-reservation structure.
Ecuador’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1% in May 2026, while adequate employment stood at 36.6% and 52.8% of employed people were in the informal sector.
Regressive erosion on the Coca River has damaged key infrastructure for more than six years, with estimated losses between $4.7 billion and $5.5 billion through May 2026. The risk matters nationally because Coca Codo Sinclair supplies about 25% of Ecuador's average electricity demand.
Traffic on the Balbanera-Pallatanga-Cumandá road is restricted from June 22 through June 28, 2026 for rehabilitation works. The route is a key Sierra-to-Coast corridor used by private vehicles, interprovincial buses and heavy cargo.
Quito’s La Carolina and surrounding hypercenter remain among the city’s most demanded real-estate zones, with small units of 25 to 35 square meters in high demand. Market sources cite prices above $2,000 per square meter in high-end projects.
A water-service interruption affected several communes, neighborhoods and settlements along Guayaquil’s Vía a la Costa on June 21, 2026. Interagua said the problem came from a leak in the aqueduct near kilometer 51 and began supplying affected areas with tanker trucks.
Ecuadorian authorities say five people were detained in an alleged migrant-trafficking network that operated in Guayas and Tungurahua. The case involves current and former Migration officials, real passports used with substituted identities, and alleged illegal fees of $5,000 to $8,000.
A new report on digital recruitment describes how criminal groups use social media, narcoculture symbols and algorithmic engagement to pull minors toward illegal activity. The warning comes as adolescent arrests and violent deaths among minors remain a major national concern.
President Daniel Noboa issued Executive Decree 424 on June 18, opening a path for allied foreign military personnel to support Ecuador’s security operations. Officials say foreign troops are not expected immediately, while 13,000 Ecuadorian military personnel are being deployed to Guayas, Manabí, El Oro and Los Ríos.
A tribunal convicted six defendants in the Decevale case and ordered a $693 million repair payment to Isspol, the police social security institute. The case grew out of alleged irregularities in securities-market operations involving Decevale S.A., Citadel Casa de Valores and Isspol funds.
Guayaquil airport officials said the Jose Joaquin de Olmedo terminal remained operational for domestic and international flights after a June 17 shooting outside the airport. Access was temporarily restricted while police worked the scene, but authorities said passengers inside the building were safe.
