Ecuador News

Hours after Mexico granted him political asylum, Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry announced it will not allow former vice president Jorge Glas to leave the country. Mexico’s asylum decision came a day after Ecuador’s government made Mexico’s ambassador persona non grata amid growing tensions between the two countries. Glas, convicted twice for corruption and facing additional charges,...

The Ecuadorian government on Thursday declared Mexico’s ambassador a “persona non grata” citing “unfortunate” comments by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador about October’s presidential election. Ambassador Raquel Serur Smeke should leave the country “as soon as possible,” Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Speaking of rising violence in Mexico’s current election campaign, Obrador...

Blaming previous governments for allowing criminal organizations to grow to “uncontrollable levels,” President Daniel Noboa said Tuesday he would continue a “vigorous crime fight” after the current state of emergency ends next week. “I will not play the fool like other presidents have and look the other way,” he said at a police facility in...

Government Minister Mónica Palencia said the state of emergency that has been in effect since January 8 will end next week. “Under our constitutional mandate, we cannot extend the emergency beyond April 7,” she said. “This does not mean, however, that we will relax our pursuit of criminal gangs or our efforts to restore peace...

Ecuador consumers will pay more for most products beginning April 1 as the 15% value added tax takes effect. The new rate, up from 12%, is part of President Daniel Noboa’s plan to finance the fight against organized crime and to rejuvenate the economy. According to legislation passed by the National Assembly and a partial...

With more than 13 million Ecuadorians headed to the polls in less than three weeks, the National Electoral Council (CNE) is considering a range of security measures due to the threat of violence. On Sunday, April 21, voters will determine the fate of 11 questions proposed by President Daniel Noboa. “Because of security concerns, the...

In a 14-hour court hearing Thursday in Quito, four government witnesses described how a powerful criminal gang leader manipulated Ecuador’s court and prison systems for favorable legal rulings and preferential treatment. Key moments of the testimony included details of how a prison pacification commissioner, the president of the national judiciary council and two National Assemblymen,...

The National Prison Service (SNAI) said three inmates died and six others were injured during Wednesday night’s riot at the Guayas Regional Prison. Originally, SNAI reported that there were no casualties. SNAI spokesman Paul Berrezueta said Thursday that the early casualty assessment was premature. “The sweep of the affected areas was not completed until late...

Forty-five Ecuadorian mayors in have requested police protection in the past year as violence grips the country, where 22 local officials have died in violent circumstances since 2023, the executive director of the Association of Ecuadorean Municipalities (AME) said. Officials remain under threat amid a national crackdown on criminal groups. President Daniel Noboa declared a...