Quito, Guayaquil suffer blackouts; Noboa extends Labor Day weekend; State of emergency ordered in 9 provinces; Arrests made in Av. Las Americas murder

Neighborhoods in Quito and Guayaquil suffered electric blackouts of two to four hours over the Easter weekend. The National Electricity Corporation (Cnel) posted messages on X shortly before most outages on Friday, Saturday and Sunday but provided no explanation.

According to electrical engineer and Cnel consultant Darío Dávalos, the blackouts were the result of reduced generation at the Coca Coda Sinclair hydroelectric plant east of Quito. “Because of the low flow level of the Rio Coca, the facility is operating at only 40% of its 1,500-megawatt capacity and that capacity will continue to decline if there is not significant rainfall in the area,” he said.

The Mazar reservoir, which powers three hydroelectric plants, has fallen 18 meters in 22 days, from 2,153 meters above sea level to 2,135 meters Sunday morning.

Dávalos added that the national power situation is also complicated by the rapid drop in the reservoir level at the Mazar hydroelectric complex in Azuay Province. According to technicians at the complex, the reservoir has fallen 18 meters in 22 days, from 2,153 meters above sea level to 2,135 meters Sunday morning.

The three generation stations at Mazar are currently operating at 65% to 70% of the facility’s 1,750-megawatt capacity.

“The country’s demand for electricity is beginning to exceed generation capabilities, which requires service suspensions in some sectors,” Dávalos said.

Ecuador’s National Meteorological Institute reported heavy rain Saturday and Sunday in the Amazon and coastal regions of the country but said rainfall was light in the recharge basins for Coca Coda Sinclair and Mazar.

On Sunday, several national news media, including Primicias and El Comercio, contacted the Energy Ministry and Cnel for information about the status of the national electric system but received no response.

Noboa extends Labor Day weekend
President Daniel Noboa has decreed Thursday, April 30 a public and private holiday, extending the Labor Day weekend to four days. In an executive order, Noboa said employees will not be required to make up the missed workday.

In the order issued from Miami, the president ordered essential public and private services, including utilities, emergency, health and banking services, to be maintained through the holiday.

International Labor Day is observed on May 1.

State of emergency declared in nine provinces
President Daniel Noboa has declared a new state of emergency due to “serious internal commotion” in Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, El Oro, Pichincha, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo and Sucumbíos provinces. In addition, a state of emergency also applies to the cantons La Maná (in Cotopaxi Province), Las Naves (Bolívar) and Echeandía (Bolívar) and La Troncal (Cañar).

Scheduled for 60 days, the emergency suspends the right to the inviolability of private homes if law enforcement agencies have “reasonable indications” that members of organized criminal groups are hiding, conducting criminal activities or storing weapons or illegal substances at the property.

Couple arrested in hitman-style murder
A man and a woman were arrested Saturday for their alleged participation in the escape of hitmen who murdered a man Thursday near Hospital del Rio in Cuenca. The couple was arrested at their home in Ricaurte.

National Police made the arrests of Rafael Marcos, 38, and S. Andrea Lorena, 36, after locating the SUV, weapons, clothing and other materials used in the murder of José Carlos G.

The murder occurred on Av. las Américas near the intersection with Av. Gonzáles Suárez after four or five hitmen wearing police uniforms stopped Garcia’s car and opened fire. Police say José Carlos G, who had no criminal record, had just purchased a used Tucson from a nearby sales lot. A registration search found that the car had been stolen in Guayaquil and had fake license plates.