Breaking news, politics, economy, visas, safety, and lifestyle updates for expats living in Ecuador.
At 4:31 AM on Sunday, April 12, a bus and a light vehicle collided roughly one kilometer from the Olmedo toll plaza on the Via a la Costa in Santa Elena province. The crash killed four people and injured nine. Cause is under investigation.
A Primicias investigation published April 13 found 82 stretches of Ecuador's state highway network have been in 'permanent poor condition' for at least three years. Sucumbíos and Imbabura top the list by distance. Zamora leads by percentage — 95% of its state network is in poor shape.
President Noboa said on April 13 that he has "no great hope" that Colombian President Gustavo Petro will change course on border security or commercial reciprocity. Ecuador will wait for Colombia's next administration before attempting a long-term solution. The trade war continues.
President Daniel Noboa announced on April 13 that he will make an official visit to China in August 2026, framing it around trade with nations that have become important Ecuador partners over the last 20 years. His first China visit was in June 2025.
Gregory Allen Krupa, 39, was last seen on April 9, 2026 in Quito's Bellavista neighborhood. Family, friends, and volunteers are actively searching in and around Parque Metropolitano Guangüiltagua. Authorities are accepting tips at 1800 DELITO.
In the Ietel neighborhood of north Guayaquil, residents have been without electricity for more than 15 hours since Sunday afternoon. Some families have resorted to sleeping inside their cars with the AC running. The heat wave turned a utility failure into a survival problem.
Power outages rippled through neighborhoods across Guayaquil, Daule, and Samborondón on April 12, with CNEL blaming transformer overloads from extreme AC demand during the heat wave. Residents are reporting four-hour outages or longer.
Ecuador's weather service INAMHI issued a rare warning on April 12 of an "unprecedented heat wave" with coastal cities clearing 35°C and heat index values approaching 40°C. The Litoral region is taking the brunt. Here's what that means for coastal expats.
Ecuador's Constitutional Court ruled unanimously (9-0) that President Noboa cannot fast-track the bilateral investment treaty with the UAE. The ISDS provisions trigger constitutional review, and the treaty must be approved by the National Assembly. Investors tracking the UAE corridor should expect delays.
WTI crude oil tumbled more than 15% to $95/barrel on April 8 after Trump postponed his Iran infrastructure strike threat, then rebounded 7.3% to $101.28 on April 9. For Ecuador — both an oil exporter and a country where consumers pay market fuel prices — this volatility cuts both ways.
Energy sector expert Marco Acuña warned on April 8 that Ecuador has registered an electrical generation deficit that could trigger power cuts during peak hours. The government disagrees, but Colombia's energy cutoff and Coca Codo Sinclair's chronic underperformance create real vulnerability.
President Noboa has declared 2026 'the year of construction,' with sector sales up 20.5%, real estate transactions up 17.8%, and $6.5 billion in purchase-sale promises on the books through 2028. Government incentives include preferential mortgages, IVA refunds for builders, and a new social housing law.
