Strike leaders and police keep local highways open; Court green lights constituent assembly question; Ecuador could become 2nd largest cocoa producer

Despite several attempts by protesters to block highways, the National Traffic Commission (CTE) reported early Thursday that road access to Cuenca remains open throughout Azuay and other provinces. “Traffic is flowing normally on all major highways despite some attempts by strikers to erect blockages,” the commission said.

The Pan American highway south of Cuenca was closed for short periods on Wednesday, at the Tarqui intersection and at Zhiña, but police persuaded protesters to remove obstructions. The Cuenca-Guayaquil highways was also blocked for about 30 minutes but police moved in to remove the obstructions.

Several roadblocks were dismantled Wednesday by police and protesters.

Regional CTE director Hugo Gómez said he is pleased with efforts by national strike leaders to avoid the violence of past protests. “They understand that blocking public roadways detracts from their protest messages and they are cooperating with authorities to convince local groups to keep the highways clear,” he said. “It is their right to protest and the government recognizes this as long as activities are peaceful.”

Constitutional Court gives green light to constituent assembly referendum question
The Constitutional Court on Wednesday agreed to include President Daniel Noboa’s question to install a constituent assembly on the November referendum. The decision followed revisions to the original question that the court required.

In its decision, the court agreed with Noboa that Ecuadorians “have the right to decide” if they want a new constitution as long as they have the right to vote on the final draft as presented by the assembly.

Including the constituent assembly question in the referendum essential renders moot complaints against Noboa’s presidential decrees Friday and Saturday. In the decrees. Noboa attempted to bypass a court review, claiming he had the authority to add the question directly to the referendum.

The referendum, tentatively scheduled for November 30, will now include three questions: whether to allow a foreign military base on Ecuadorian soil for the purpose of fighting drug trafficking; whether to eliminate public funding for political campaigns; and whether to convene a constituent assembly.

Ecuador could become world’s second largest cocoa producer
Ecuador is on course to produce more than 650,000 metric tons of cocoa in the 2025 and 2026 season and could surpass Ghana as the world’s second largest grower of the chocolate ingredient, the chairman of the country’s cocoa exporters association said.

Ivory Coast is the world’s top cocoa producer.

According to association president Ivan Ontaneda, farmers are investing more in their farms, increasing plot sizes and yields.

Cocoa prices more than doubled in 2024, reaching record highs above $12,000 a ton following failed harvests and disease in West African producers Ivory Coast and Ghana, which supply about half of the world’s cocoa.

An increase in production in South America, where Ecuador is the leading grower, has helped to fill the supply gap, and prices have fallen by about a third in 2025. They remain however at historically elevated levels.