Ecuador News

When the federal prison opened at Turi in 2014, almost all of its inmates came from Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago Provinces in southern Ecuador. “The plan, developed during the [Rafael] Correa government, was that it would be regional facility for convicts from the cantons near Cuenca,” says Cuenca municipal councilman Cristian Zamora. “Unfortunately, over...

By Samuel Petrequin  Former Ecuador president Rafael Correa said the political asylum he has been granted in Belgium is proof he is persecuted by his country’s authorities and did not rule out a return to politics in an interview with the Associated Press last week. Correa, who in 2020 was found guilty of corruption and...

President Guillermo Lasso and Peruvian President Pedro Castillo agreed on Friday to strengthen cooperation to promote border area development in the post-pandemic era. The agreement was reached by the two presidents in Loja, according to a joint declaration issued after the conclusion of the 14th Ecuador-Peru Binational Cabinet meeting. “We have completed this Binational Cabinet...

The medical associations in Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca issued statements Friday expressing alarm at the government’s decision to end the face mask requirement, saying they believe it was premature. “We understood the decision would be made in May following the evaluation of more epidemiological data so we were surprised by the national COE’s action,” the...

For the first time in almost two years, Ecuadorians are allowed to go maskless. The national Emergency Operations Committee and President Guillermo Lasso announced Thursday that, effective immediately, face masks are no longer required except in hospitals and health clinics. COE President Juan Zapata said the new rule applies nationwide. “We are pleased to take...

Economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean will be lower than expected at 1.8 percent this year due to the war in Ukraine, a UN body said Wednesday. In 2021, the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) was 6.2 percent, and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in January forecast...

The National Assembly voted Wednesday to form a commission to investigate “failures of leadership” by Assembly President Guadalupe Llori. The commission is made up of her opponents and is expected to recommend her removal following 35 days of fact-finding and testimony. The vote followed a judge’s decision to lift an earlier court order blocking the...

Ecuador could reduce this year’s fiscal deficit more than it predicted, if crude prices remain high and it is able to sell a state-owned bank, President Guillermo Lasso said on Tuesday, adding the country still requires significant private investment to create jobs. The government has predicted 2022 will close with a deficit of 2% of...