Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
President Noboa's latest curfew runs May 3–18 from 11 PM to 5 AM across nine provinces including Pichincha and Guayas. Azuay, Loja, and Imbabura are not on the list. Here's the full breakdown.
Prosecutors raided CNEL offices across three provinces after the Energy Minister revealed a decade-long billing manipulation scheme affecting 400,000+ accounts. Officials allegedly cut invoices by 80% in exchange for bribes.
ARCSA reviewed 2,100+ registered products and reclassified 30 active ingredients as prescription-only. If you're used to buying certain medicines at the farmacia without a receta, some of those purchases just got harder.
Interior Minister Reimberg told AFP that organized crime groups have launched roughly 600 drone attempts at El Encuentro prison since it opened. The government says it will build as many mega-prisons as needed.
A threat actor published 17 million records from Ecuador's ANT, including cédula numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and vehicle details. The agency hasn't acknowledged the breach. Here's what was exposed and what to do.
President Noboa signed Decreto 368 cutting the tourism IVA from 15% to 8% for the May Day long weekend (April 30–May 3). Hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and travel agencies all qualify. Here's how it works.
ARCSA reviewed over 2,100 products and removed 30 active ingredients from over-the-counter status, including triclosán and mercury chrome. Some cold medications now require prescriptions. Here's the new reality at your local farmacia.
The incoming Energy Minister inherits a five-front crisis: a 900+ MW power generation gap, record electricity demand of 5,374 MW, oil output at its lowest since 2003, and a dormant mining cadastre. Here's what that means for daily life.
The Cangrejos project, ranked 13th among the world's largest undeveloped gold deposits, gets a 26-year exploitation contract. Chinese-backed Odin Mining will invest $1.6 billion and generate 1,168 jobs. The government expects $6 billion in total revenue.
The math: 30 years of contributions at minimum wage gets you $361/month. Forty years gets you the full $482. IESS uses your five best earning years, not your last salary. Here's the complete breakdown.
President Noboa's Decreto Ejecutivo 354 bridges Thursday April 30 to the May 1 national holiday, giving public and private sector workers four consecutive days off. Overtime is double pay. Here's what closes.
Ecuador's riesgo país fell to 404 points on April 22, the lowest since 2015. GDP grew 3.7% in 2025, international reserves jumped 42%, and the IMF just disbursed another $394 million. Here's what the improving trajectory means for expats.