Ecuador News

Former Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebot is rejecting the economic reforms announced last week by President Lenin Moreno, including the elimination of gasoline and diesel subsidies. It is the first time that Nebot, considered one of the favorites in the 2021 presidential race, has publicly criticized Moreno on a major policy issue. On Monday, Nebot followed...

Ecuador’s transportation unions announced Friday night that they are ending their two-day work stoppage and that the country’s taxis and buses will return to service effective immediately. The president of the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives, Abel Gómez, said his members maintain their demand that the government rescind gasoline and diesel price increases but decided...

President Lenin Moreno declared a national state of emergency Thursday afternoon after talks with national taxi and bus unions failed to reach an agreement. The declaration allows army troops to reinforce police and clear the country’s roadways. The president also announced that the country’s schools and universities would be closed Friday, extending Thursday’s closures. The...

The government has declared Thursday a holiday for public and private school students following the Wednesday announcement by public transportation unions of a nationwide strike. The unions, representing owners of buses and passengers vans, are protesting the increase in the price of gasoline and diesel fuel that goes into effect today. President Lenin Moreno announced...

President Lenin Moreno announced an end to the government subsidy for gasoline and diesel fuel Tuesday night but said the value added tax (IVA) will remain at 12 percent. The elimination of the fuel subsidy will result in a savings of $1.3 billion annually, he said. In a brief address to the nation, the president...

By Stephan Kueffner and Peter Millard Ecuador said Tuesday it will leave the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in January. For OPEC, the departure matters more in symbolism than barrels — Ecuador is one of its smallest producers, but stated clearly it wants to leave the group to boost oil revenues at a moment when...

By Kimberley Brown The sun had already set when a group of 10 Venezuelans trickled into Carmen Carcelen’s home in northern Ecuador late last month. They joined about 100 others who were already there. Two volunteers immediately invited the new houseguests to put down their tattered suitcases and backpacks, and offered each person a bowl of...

A Spanish private security firm, which is under investigation in Madrid, spied on Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on behalf of the CIA while he was inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, the Spanish daily El Pais reported Friday. Citing unspecified documents and statements, the paper said Undercover Global Ltd, which was responsible for security at...

Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner says that there are “difficult times ahead” for Ecuador’s economy and asks citizens for their understanding as the government introduces stringent new measures to meet public obligations and to reduce the national debt. “Despite the efforts of the past two years, Ecuador’s economic problems remain unresolved and next week we will...

Delta Air Lines said on Thursday it is buying a 20% stake in Latam Airlines Group for $1.9 billion, creating a major new airline partnership and ending the Chilean carrier’s ties with American Airlines. The surprise deal with Latin America’s largest carrier will give Delta a much bigger footprint in the region, a key growth...