02/22/2021 - Conservative banker will dispute the presidential runoff in Ecuador; protests expected in Quito
02/23/2021 - 62 Inmates Dead In Ecuador Prison Riots
02/24/2021 - At least 62 dead in gang violence in Ecuador prison mutinies
02/24/2021 - Ecuador jail fight: Dozens of inmates killed in gang war
04/10/2021 - Ecuador picks president under the shadow of Covid
04/11/2021 - Guillermo Lasso: Conservative ex-banker elected Ecuador president
04/12/2021 - Third-time lucky: Lasso becomes Ecuador's president-elect
05/19/2021 - Ecuador: Darwin Arch off Galapagos falls down due to erosion
05/24/2021 - Guillermo Lasso: Ecuador's new leader faces uphill struggle
05/25/2021 - Chile and Bolivia go back to negotiating table in Ecuador
05/25/2021 - Conservative Guillermo Lasso is sworn in as Ecuador's new president
06/12/2021 - Ecuador changes policy for air travelers
07/15/2021 - State of exception decreed in Ecuador due to covid-19 Delta variant and Delta Plus subvariant
09/01/2021 - Ecuador wants to become full member of the Pacific Alliance
09/09/2021 - Ecuador and IMF reach agreement for disbursement of frozen US$ 6bn funds
09/29/2021 - Ecuador jail: Dozens killed in Guayaquil prison fight
09/29/2021 - Over 100 Killed In Ecuador's Latest Prison Violence
09/30/2021 - Ecuador prison 'gang war' leaves more than 100 dead
09/30/2021 - Ecuador jail riot: Anxiety, fear and little information
10/01/2021 - Ecuador To Pardon Thousands After 118 Die In Worst-Ever Prison Riot
10/02/2021 - Ecuador eyes some 2,000 pardons after deadly prison riot
10/11/2021 - Ecuador's Parliament narrows Pandora Papers enquiry down to one Congressional committee
10/19/2021 - Ecuador crime wave triggers state of emergency
10/20/2021 - State of exemption declared in Ecuador to fight crime
10/23/2021 - Alex Quiñónez: Ecuador sprinter shot dead
10/24/2021 - Avalanche Kills At Least 4 Climbers On Ecuador Volcano: Officials
10/27/2021 - Indigenous groups in Ecuador stage second day of protests
11/04/2021 - Ecuador president: More than batons needed to control jails
11/13/2021 - Ecuador prison riot: New fighting at Guayaquil jail kills 68
11/15/2021 - Ecuador prison and armed forces chiefs resign after riots
11/16/2021 - Ecuador: President Lasso says drug traffic gangs behind prison riots
11/19/2021 - State of exception decreed in Ecuador for yet another 30 days
11/24/2021 - Pardons and deportations granted to reduce overcrowding at Ecuador's jails
12/14/2021 - Ecuador decrees oil production under 'force majeure'
12/23/2021 - Covid: Ecuador makes vaccination mandatory for most citizens
12/24/2021 - Ecuador makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory
01/17/2022 - Ecuador extends Galapagos reserve forming a string of protected areas along the Pacific to Central America
02/01/2022 - Deadly flood hits Ecuador's capital Quito
02/01/2022 - 24 Dead, Dozens Missing And Injured As Flooding Hits Ecuador Capital
02/02/2022 - Ecuador: Rescue efforts after heavy rain triggers Quito landslide
03/11/2022 - Ecuador grants amnesty to those involved in 2019 scuffles
03/25/2022 - Force-majeure applies to pre-war Russian diesel shipments bound for Ecuador
04/20/2022 - Uruguay and Ecuador discuss possible bilateral trade agreement
04/23/2022 - Boat Carrying Diesel Fuel Sinks Off Ecuador's Sensitive Galapagos Islands
04/29/2022 - Ecuador declares emergency over gang crime
05/09/2022 - Ecuador prison riot: More than 40 inmates killed
05/11/2022 - Bachelet urges Ecuador to follow UNHCHR roadmap to end prison massacres
05/30/2022 - Car bomb goes off in Ecuador – no victims this time around
06/08/2022 - How A "Men's Club" Is Tackling Gender Violence In Ecuador
06/13/2022 - Ecuador protests: Indigenous groups burn tyres and block roads over fuel prices
06/14/2022 - Ecuador police arrest protest leader Leonidas Iza
06/14/2022 - Ecuador's native groups to up protests after leader was arrested
06/18/2022 - State of emergency declared in Ecuador
06/20/2022 - Indigenist protesters in Ecuador clash with police
06/21/2022 - Ecuador's President says indigenist groups out to topple him
06/22/2022 - Ecuador protests: Security concerns after police station attack
06/24/2022 - Ecuador's Conaie decries death of 4th protester during general strike
06/27/2022 - Ecuador promises fuel price cuts amid protests
06/29/2022 - Ecuador: Lasso halts dialogue with Conaie after Army Sgt killed
06/29/2022 - Motion to remove Ecuador's President Lasso fails to get enough National Assembly votes
06/30/2022 - Ecuador protests: Indigenous leaders agree to call off strikes
07/19/2022 - Ecuador jail violence: Fight at Bellavista kills 13
08/14/2022 - Guayaquil: Ecuador blast 'declaration of war' by gangs
08/15/2022 - Ecuador: Terrorist act leaves 5 dead and many others in critical condition
08/30/2022 - Ecuador fears Galapagos tortoises were hunted and eaten
09/26/2022 - Ecuador sacks Interior Minister over police officer wife's murder scandal
10/03/2022 - Ecuador prison gang fight leaves 15 dead in Latacunga
10/06/2022 - 21 Inmates Dead, 66 Injured In Ecuador Prison Clashes
10/20/2022 - Falklands/Malvinas: Ecuador Legislative overwhelmingly votes in support of Argentina's claims
10/25/2022 - One inmate dies in yet another prison riot in Ecuador
10/25/2022 - Scientists discover six new species of rain frog in Ecuador
11/02/2022 - Ecuador gang violence: Crackdown in two states after police killings
11/03/2022 - At least 53 arrested in violence-torn Ecuador
11/19/2022 - Rumors of bribe hit Ecuador's team playing in Qatar
11/20/2022 - World Cup 2022: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador: Enner Valencia double gives South Americans win
11/28/2022 - Ecuador gangs: Gunmen storm hospital in attempt to kill teen
11/28/2022 - Cotopaxi: Plume of gas rises from Ecuador volcano
11/29/2022 - Ecuador first South Americans eliminated from Qatar 2022 Cup
12/06/2022 - Peru and Ecuador declare bird flu health emergency; 10,000 pelicans dead, 180,000 chickens to be slaughtered
12/08/2022 - Ecuador back to mandatory masks in indoor settings
12/21/2022 - Biden, Lasso discuss deepening bilateral ties between US and Ecuador
12/26/2022 - Cotopaxi volcano fumes have Ecuador under alert
01/03/2023 - Not bananas: shrimp now Ecuador's second-most-exported product
01/07/2023 - Ecuador expects to ink a wide ranging free trade agreement with China
01/12/2023 - First human patient with avian flu reported in Ecuador
02/05/2023 - Ecuador's president takes a gamble with a multi-item referendum
02/06/2023 - Ecuador's referendum goes on uneventfully
02/07/2023 - Ecuador's referendum a major setback for President Lasso
02/07/2023 - Ecuador polls: Murdered candidate elected as mayor
02/10/2023 - Ecuador's President reshuffles cabinet after referendum defeat
02/16/2023 - Ecuador and Peru fighting a losing battle with China on giant squid fishing in the southeast Pacific
02/27/2023 - Cocaine worth $330m found in Ecuador banana shipment
02/28/2023 - Ecuador, Belgium sign cooperation deal against drug trafficking
03/02/2023 - Ecuador: Parliamentary Committee gives nod to President Lasso's impeachment
03/17/2023 - Tense relationship between Ecuador and Argentina due to former minister's escape to Venezuela
03/18/2023 - Southern Ecuador earthquake kills at least 12
03/18/2023 - 12 Killed After 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Ecuador, Peru
03/18/2023 - Destroyed Buildings, Crushed Vehicles As Massive Quake Hits Peru, Ecuador
03/20/2023 - Earthquake kills 14 in Ecuador and 1 in Peru

Earthquake kills 14 in Ecuador and 1 in Peru

Published: 03/20/2023 in MercoPress

“We are going to declare a state of exception,” Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso said At least 15 have died after an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 shook northern Peru and southern Ecuador at 12.11 pm on Saturday, it was reported. The epicenter was said to be in Ecuadorian territory, 85 kilometers northeast of Zarumilla, in the Tumbes region, and 78 kilometers deep, according to the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP).

Destroyed Buildings, Crushed Vehicles As Massive Quake Hits Peru, Ecuador

Published: 03/18/2023 in NDTV News - World-news

At least 12 people were killed, one was wounded and buildings were damaged in a powerful earthquake that shook Peru and Ecuador Saturday, Ecuador's presidency said.

12 Killed After 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Ecuador, Peru

Published: 03/18/2023 in NDTV News - World-news

At least 12 people were killed, one was wounded and buildings were damaged in a powerful earthquake that shook Peru and Ecuador Saturday, Ecuador's presidency said.

Southern Ecuador earthquake kills at least 12

Published: 03/18/2023 in BBC News - World

A strong earthquake off Ecuador's southern coast left people trapped in collapsed houses.

Tense relationship between Ecuador and Argentina due to former minister's escape to Venezuela

Published: 03/17/2023 in MercoPress

The Argentine government denied on Thursday having facilitated the escape to Venezuela of Duarte from her refuge in the Argentine embassy in Quito Ecuador expects to overcome the diplomatic crisis with Argentina soon after both nations withdrew their ambassadors amid questioning from Quito regarding the escape of a former minister convicted of corruption who was taking refuge in Argentina's diplomatic residence in Ecuador.

Ecuador: Parliamentary Committee gives nod to President Lasso's impeachment

Published: 03/02/2023 in MercoPress

Since losing his Constitutional reform referendum, Lasso seems weaker and many speculate he will not complete his presidency Ecuador's parliamentary committee investigating a corruption scandal approved by 6 votes to 1 to move on with the impeachment of President Guillermo Lasso, who has been linked to drug trafficking and possible crimes against the security of the State and the public administration, it was reported in Quito.

Ecuador, Belgium sign cooperation deal against drug trafficking

Published: 02/28/2023 in MercoPress

“It is undeniable that we require new cross-cutting responses against organized crime,” Zapata said Interior Ministers Juan Zapata of Ecuador and Annelies Verlinden of Belgium Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding whereby police forces of both countries are to exchange information and training to tackle transnational crime, it was reported. Also participating at the signing ceremony was European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

Cocaine worth $330m found in Ecuador banana shipment

Published: 02/27/2023 in BBC News - World

Police in Ecuador found 8.8 tonnes of cocaine destined for Belgium in the port of Guayaquil.

Ecuador and Peru fighting a losing battle with China on giant squid fishing in the southeast Pacific

Published: 02/16/2023 in MercoPress

The squid catch has increased: in the last five years alone, between 800,000 tons and 1.16 million tons have been caught. China has a declared fleet of 671 ships. Giant squid, squid or Dosidicus gigas, measures up to 3 meters in length and can reach 50 kilos in weight. It is one of the main species of the southeastern Pacific Ocean and at the same time it is one of the species with the greatest commercial pressure in the world. Thousands of tons are extracted every month, a large part, from the international waters located off the seas of Ecuador, Peru and Chile. The main player behind that voracious appetite is China: it has a declared fleet of 671 ships.

Ecuador's President reshuffles cabinet after referendum defeat

Published: 02/10/2023 in MercoPress

Lasso's administrative changes were “minimal” after the blow he suffered during the weekend, an analyst explained Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso Thursday reshuffled his cabinet after losing last Sunday's referendum and local elections to the left. The conservative head of state brought on some fresh air to his administration by changing the government minister and two of his most loyal advisors, in addition to making new appointments where the opposition prevailed.

Ecuador polls: Murdered candidate elected as mayor

Published: 02/07/2023 in BBC News - World

Omar Menéndez was shot dead the evening before the election during a brutal attack on his headquarters.

Ecuador's referendum a major setback for President Lasso

Published: 02/07/2023 in MercoPress

In addition to losing the referendum, the opposition leftwing Citizen Revolution party of former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017) won the mayoralties of Quito and Guayaquil Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso Monday admitted defeat in Sunday's referendum through which he intended to garner enough consensus for the remainder of his term after 18 months in office. Citizens were asked, among other issues, to decide whether national offenders could be extradited abroad to face drug-trafficking charges. Lasso favored the idea, a slim majority did not with 47% of the votes counted.

Ecuador's referendum goes on uneventfully

Published: 02/06/2023 in MercoPress

The results will be released as soon as vote counting is done, Atamaint said Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced Sunday that turnout for the national referendum called by President Guillermo Lasso seeking endorsement after 18 months in office had reached 80.74 %. Ecuadorians were also voting to elect the members of the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS), in addition to municipal authorities.

Ecuador's president takes a gamble with a multi-item referendum

Published: 02/05/2023 in MercoPress

Lasso needs to revalidate his credentials through an electoral victory. Otherwise, his days as President will be steeply uphill The Ecuadorian Government of President Guillermo Lasso will seek Sunday to revamp an administration with waning popularity through a referendum whereby the citizenry is to allegedly set the guidelines for the future steps of the conservative head of state.

First human patient with avian flu reported in Ecuador

Published: 01/12/2023 in MercoPress

The consumption of chicken and eggs poses no risk to human health, the authorities insisted Ecuadorian health authorities have confirmed the first case of avian influenza in a human patient. The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) announced it was a 9-year-old girl who had been in contact with infected birds in the province of Bolivar.

Ecuador expects to ink a wide ranging free trade agreement with China

Published: 01/07/2023 in MercoPress

“Good news to start 2023. The FTA negotiation between China and Ecuador has been successfully concluded,” president Guillermo Lasso said on Twitter. Ecuador has reached a free trade agreement with China which is expected to increase the country's exports by a billion US dollars as well as boost the growth in the industrial sector, it was announced.

Not bananas: shrimp now Ecuador's second-most-exported product

Published: 01/03/2023 in MercoPress

Shrimp and also bananas keep Ecuador from signing an FTA with Mexico After a steady growth since 2018, shrimp has taken over as Ecuador's second-most exported item behind oil, thus toppling bananas from a notch they had held for quite a while, it was reported in Quito.

Cotopaxi volcano fumes have Ecuador under alert

Published: 12/26/2022 in MercoPress

The first warning this year about the Cotopaxi had been issued on Oct. 21 Ecuadorian authorities have been placed on alert after a 1,500-meter column of steam, gas, and ash emanated Sunday from the Cotopaxi volcano, it was reported.

Biden, Lasso discuss deepening bilateral ties between US and Ecuador

Published: 12/21/2022 in MercoPress

Ecuador is the only Latin American Pacific country that does not have a free trade agreement with the United States US President Joseph Biden Monday told his Ecuadorian colleague Guillermo Lasso at the White House that his country was interested in strengthening ties with one of its staunchest South American allies.

Ecuador back to mandatory masks in indoor settings

Published: 12/08/2022 in MercoPress

Although not compulsory, the use of masks was recommended in open places and in large gatherings The wearing of facemasks in indoor settings has been reinstated in Ecuador due to the increase in cases of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases such as influenza, the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) announced Wednesday.

Peru and Ecuador declare bird flu health emergency; 10,000 pelicans dead, 180,000 chickens to be slaughtered

Published: 12/06/2022 in MercoPress

Peru reported its first severe outbreak of the highly pathogenic type A H5 virus earlier in November, shortly after Mexico said it would start vaccinating birds Peru and Ecuador last week declared three-month health emergencies because of outbreaks of bird flu after a wave of cases led to tens of millions of poultry being slaughtered in Europe and the United States.

Ecuador first South Americans eliminated from Qatar 2022 Cup

Published: 11/29/2022 in MercoPress

It was a “very hard blow, a very big frustration,” said Ecuador's Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro Ecuador became the first Soth American team to be eliminated from the Qatar 2022 football World Cup following Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Senegal, while The Netherlands finished top of Group A by defeating the hosts 2-0 to book an appointment with the United States in the round of 16.

Cotopaxi: Plume of gas rises from Ecuador volcano

Published: 11/28/2022 in BBC News - World

A huge plume of gas is rising from the stratovolcano located near Ecuador's capital, Quito.

Ecuador gangs: Gunmen storm hospital in attempt to kill teen

Published: 11/28/2022 in BBC News - World

Gang members took staff hostage and exchanged fire with police before they were arrested.

World Cup 2022: Qatar 0-2 Ecuador: Enner Valencia double gives South Americans win

Published: 11/20/2022 in BBC News - World

Hosts Qatar open the 2022 Fifa World Cup in calamitous fashion, easily beaten by Ecuador in a humbling defeat at Al Bayt.

Rumors of bribe hit Ecuador's team playing in Qatar

Published: 11/19/2022 in MercoPress

Ecuador's presence in Qatar was under controversy even before the latest news As the World Cup is about to kick off Sunday in Qatar, reports went viral regarding the hosts alleged bribing of Ecuadorian players for US$ 7.4 million so that the hosts would win the tournament's opening game.

At least 53 arrested in violence-torn Ecuador

Published: 11/03/2022 in MercoPress

The drug-trafficking gangs will “not intimidate us,” Lasso said At least 53 people have been arrested in Ecuador following a wave of drug trafficking attacks Tuesday in the coastal cities of Guayaquil, Durán, and Esmeraldas.

Ecuador gang violence: Crackdown in two states after police killings

Published: 11/02/2022 in BBC News - World

A state of emergency and curfew are introduced in two provinces after drug gangs target police.

Scientists discover six new species of rain frog in Ecuador

Published: 10/25/2022 in BBC News - World

They name one of the new species "resistencia" (resistance) in honour of killed environmentalists.

One inmate dies in yet another prison riot in Ecuador

Published: 10/25/2022 in MercoPress

Human rights groups have  described Ecuador's penitentiary crisis as a “prison genocide” At least one inmate was killed and two others were injured Monday in yet a new prison riot in Ecuador, the National Service of Integral Attention to Adults Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders (SNAI) reported.

Falklands/Malvinas: Ecuador Legislative overwhelmingly votes in support of Argentina's claims

Published: 10/20/2022 in MercoPress

President Lasso visited Argentina last April, but Carmona apparently did not receive a reciprocity treatment from the Ecuadorean foreign ministry Ecuador's one House Legislative Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday in support of Argentina and “its battle in defense of Malvinas, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands, and adjoining maritime and insular spaces”, which according to the Argentine ministry of foreign affairs, “are illegitimately occupied by the United Kingdom”.

21 Inmates Dead, 66 Injured In Ecuador Prison Clashes

Published: 10/06/2022 in NDTV News - World-news

Three days of bloody clashes between inmates in Ecuador have left 21 dead and 66 people, including five police officers, injured in the latest bout of gang violence in the country's notoriously brutal...

Ecuador prison gang fight leaves 15 dead in Latacunga

Published: 10/03/2022 in BBC News - World

Reports say guards have regained control of the jail in Latacunga after prisoners clashed.

Ecuador sacks Interior Minister over police officer wife's murder scandal

Published: 09/26/2022 in MercoPress

Captain Zapata became famous through a road security campaign Ecuador's Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo has been sacked by President Guillermo Lasso after the official was linked to a case of femicide, it was reported in Quito. Colonel Juan Zapata has been appointed as the new Minister of Interior.

Ecuador fears Galapagos tortoises were hunted and eaten

Published: 08/30/2022 in BBC News - World

Ecuador has launched an investigation after remains of four of the protected animals were found.

Ecuador: Terrorist act leaves 5 dead and many others in critical condition

Published: 08/15/2022 in MercoPress

The attack came also at a time when President Lasso needs to leave the country for medical reasons A bombing in the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil has left at least five people dead and some 20 others injured, in what the government believes to be the doings of organized crime groups.

Guayaquil: Ecuador blast 'declaration of war' by gangs

Published: 08/14/2022 in BBC News - World

A state of emergency is declared in the port city of Guayaquil after another wave of gang-related crime.

Ecuador jail violence: Fight at Bellavista kills 13

Published: 07/19/2022 in BBC News - World

The deadly confrontation is the latest in a string of prison fights which have killed hundreds.

Ecuador protests: Indigenous leaders agree to call off strikes

Published: 06/30/2022 in BBC News - World

Indigenous groups led two weeks of protests against fuel costs, paralysing the country's economy.

Motion to remove Ecuador's President Lasso fails to get enough National Assembly votes

Published: 06/29/2022 in MercoPress

The opposition was 12 votes short of achieving its goal Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso survived an impeachment attempt late Tuesday when a motion to remove him from office submitted by the opposition Union for Hope (Unes) of former President Rafael Correa fail to garner enough votes at the National Assembly. The initiative was 12 votes short of its goal.

Ecuador: Lasso halts dialogue with Conaie after Army Sgt killed

Published: 06/29/2022 in MercoPress

“We will not sit down again to dialogue with Leónidas Iza,” Lasso stressed Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso Tuesday announced in a broadcast message that he was suspending all dialogue with the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) after the death of a military officer during an attack by rebel groups against a convoy in Amazonia.

Ecuador promises fuel price cuts amid protests

Published: 06/27/2022 in BBC News - World

President Lasso makes a concession during a protest respite, but no deal has been reached.

Ecuador's Conaie decries death of 4th protester during general strike

Published: 06/24/2022 in MercoPress

In addition to the dead, there have been over 90 arrests and as many people injured, while at least 4 protesters are unaccounted for Ecuador's Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) has denounced a fourth protester who has died during demonstrations, while human rights groups insisted that repression coupled with abuse of force jeopardized the lives of people exercising their right to express themselves against the policies of President Guillermo Lasso's administration.

Ecuador protests: Security concerns after police station attack

Published: 06/22/2022 in BBC News - World

The country's interior minister denounces "radical" activists after the clashes in the town of Puyo.

Ecuador's President says indigenist groups out to topple him

Published: 06/21/2022 in MercoPress

“They do not want peace, they seek chaos,” Lasso said about Conaie Ecuador's Conservative President Guillermo Lasso Monday said the indigenist groups staging protests nationwide wanted to overthrow him from office, for which they need chaos to mount.

Indigenist protesters in Ecuador clash with police

Published: 06/20/2022 in MercoPress

Neither the states of exception nor the curfews frighten us, Marlon Vargas explained Protesters adhering to the indefinite strike called for by the indigenist group Conaie clashed with Ecuadorian authorities Sunday in places such as Orellana, Pastaza, and Sucumbios, it was reported. It was the seventh day of nonstop activities.

State of emergency declared in Ecuador

Published: 06/18/2022 in MercoPress

“United, sitting at a table, we will find solutions that will alleviate the situation of Ecuadorian families,” Lasso stressed Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso Friday decreed a state of emergency in three provinces for the next 30 days following uprisings by indigenous communities.

Ecuador's native groups to up protests after leader was arrested

Published: 06/14/2022 in MercoPress

Iza is known for his anti-capitalist stance Ecuador's Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) Tuesday launched an appeal to up protests against the government of President Guillermo Lasso by staging "a great indigenous and popular revolt."

Ecuador police arrest protest leader Leonidas Iza

Published: 06/14/2022 in BBC News - World

Leonidas Iza, who heads an indigenous people's campaign group, has led protests against fuel prices.

Ecuador protests: Indigenous groups burn tyres and block roads over fuel prices

Published: 06/13/2022 in BBC News - World

Demonstrators burn tyres and block roads over conservative government's 'policies of death'.

How A "Men's Club" Is Tackling Gender Violence In Ecuador

Published: 06/08/2022 in NDTV News - World-news

Violence against women is rampant in Latin America and the Caribbean, with some 27 percent suffering at the hands of a romantic partner at least once in their lifetime, according to the OECD.

Car bomb goes off in Ecuador – no victims this time around

Published: 05/30/2022 in MercoPress

Organized crime is making territorial gains nationwide Nobody was injured as a car bomb went off in front of a Guayaquil police precinct, it was reported Sunday.

Bachelet urges Ecuador to follow UNHCHR roadmap to end prison massacres

Published: 05/11/2022 in MercoPress

The former Chilean President also called for an “urgent” reform of the country's Judiciary The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Ecuadorian Government of President Guillermo Lasso to take concrete measures to bring to an end the ongoing streak of prison massacres, following Monday's riot at a penitentiary which resulted in 44 inmates killed.

Ecuador prison riot: More than 40 inmates killed

Published: 05/09/2022 in BBC News - World

Ecuador is battling a wave of deadly gang violence and has seen its worst prison riots in history.

Ecuador declares emergency over gang crime

Published: 04/29/2022 in BBC News - World

A curfew is imposed and thousands of police and soldiers are deployed to restore "peace and order".

Boat Carrying Diesel Fuel Sinks Off Ecuador's Sensitive Galapagos Islands

Published: 04/23/2022 in NDTV News - World-news

A scuba diving boat sank Saturday off one of Ecuador's ecologically sensitive Galapagos Islands but damage was minor and no one was hurt, officials said.

Uruguay and Ecuador discuss possible bilateral trade agreement

Published: 04/20/2022 in MercoPress

“I had a very profitable working meeting with a friend and ally of Ecuador, the president of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou,” Lasso said. Photo: Uruguay's Presidency The Presidents of Ecuador and Uruguay, Guillermo Lasso and Luis Lacalle Pou, Tuesday discussed a possible bilateral agreement within the Latin American Integration Association (Aladi).

Force-majeure applies to pre-war Russian diesel shipments bound for Ecuador

Published: 03/25/2022 in MercoPress

“The cargoes were bought and loaded before the war broke out,” Petroecuador's Noboa said Ecuador's oil ruling entity Petroecuador has granted force majeure exemptions to shipments of Russian diesel which were already underway when the invasion of Ukraine started and western powers replied by imposing sanctions on Vladimir Putin's government

Ecuador grants amnesty to those involved in 2019 scuffles

Published: 03/11/2022 in MercoPress

Assembly Speaker Guadalupe Llori said the decision was “transcendental” Ecuador's National Assembly Thursday passed a bill to grant amnesty to 268 people who were being prosecuted for "exercising their own right and collective rights recognized in the Constitution and international instruments" during the social uprisings in the last quarter of 2019, it was announced.

Ecuador: Rescue efforts after heavy rain triggers Quito landslide

Published: 02/02/2022 in BBC News - World

At least 24 people have died after rainfall reaches 20-year-high in the capital, Quito.

24 Dead, Dozens Missing And Injured As Flooding Hits Ecuador Capital

Published: 02/01/2022 in NDTV News - World-news

The heaviest flooding to hit Ecuador in two decades has killed at least 24 people in Quito, inundating homes, swamping cars and sweeping away athletes and spectators on a sports field, officials said...

Deadly flood hits Ecuador's capital Quito

Published: 02/01/2022 in BBC News - World

At least 11 people are killed as a torrent of muddy water sweeps through the city after heavy rains.

Ecuador extends Galapagos reserve forming a string of protected areas along the Pacific to Central America

Published: 01/17/2022 in MercoPress

The new Ecuadorean reserve named “Brotherhood” extends the Galapagos islands protected area by another 60,000 square kilometers Ecuador has created the marine reserve north of the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific helping to form a ring of protected areas, along the South American north Pacific rim that will include Colombia's Malpeso island, Panama's Coiba islands and Costa Rica Cocos islands.

Ecuador makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory

Published: 12/24/2021 in MercoPress

Ecuador is following the examples of Austria, Germany and Greece. Photo: EFE The Government of Ecuador has decided to make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory, except for people with a medical condition that renders the shot counterproductive, it was announced Thursday.

Covid: Ecuador makes vaccination mandatory for most citizens

Published: 12/23/2021 in BBC News - World

All those from the age of five must be jabbed, although people with medical reasons are exempt.

Ecuador decrees oil production under 'force majeure'

Published: 12/14/2021 in MercoPress

The measure allows Ecuador to temporarily suspend operations in its oil fields, The Government of Ecuador has declared a situation of force majeure for the country's oil sector due to the effects of erosion in the Coca River, one of the tributaries of the Amazon basin.

Pardons and deportations granted to reduce overcrowding at Ecuador's jails

Published: 11/24/2021 in MercoPress

Up to 5,000 inmates are to be released shortly as per the new measures Pardons and deportations granted to reduce overcrowding at Ecuador's jails Government of Ecuador have decreed a series of pardons and extraditions of prison inmates in a move aimed at reducing overcrowding at detention facilities following a series of deadly riots this year which has cost over 230 lives, it was announced.

State of exception decreed in Ecuador for yet another 30 days

Published: 11/19/2021 in MercoPress

 The extension comes a few days after last weekends’ massacre at the Guayaquil Litoral Penitentiary The Government of Ecuador has renewed the state of exception for an additional 30 days. The measure had first been adopted Oct. 18 due to a security crisis.

Ecuador: President Lasso says drug traffic gangs behind prison riots

Published: 11/16/2021 in MercoPress

 Lasso held meetings with international advisors and then said prison riots were due to drug trafficking gang fights Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso Monday said his country was under attack by drug trafficking gangs, which are allegedly trying to take over the country's prisons, where riots have cost the lives of hundreds of inmates over the past few months.

Ecuador prison and armed forces chiefs resign after riots

Published: 11/15/2021 in BBC News - World

The move came after 68 inmates were killed in a deadly fight in a Guayaquil jail over the weekend.

Ecuador prison riot: New fighting at Guayaquil jail kills 68

Published: 11/13/2021 in BBC News - World

Fighting at the Litoral Penitentiary in the city of Guayaquil reportedly began on Friday evening.

Ecuador president: More than batons needed to control jails

Published: 11/04/2021 in BBC News - World

President Lasso says Ecuador needs more support to fight powerful gangs behind a rise in crime.

Indigenous groups in Ecuador stage second day of protests

Published: 10/27/2021 in MercoPress

Ecuador is living under a state of exception sin Oct. 18 Groups of native Ecuadorians Wednesday staged their second straight day of protests against the government of conservative President Guillermo Lasso barely six months into his term in office.

Avalanche Kills At Least 4 Climbers On Ecuador Volcano: Officials

Published: 10/24/2021 in NDTV News - World-news

An avalanche Sunday on a snow-capped Ecuadoran volcano killed at least four climbers and injured a fifth, officials reported.

Alex Quiñónez: Ecuador sprinter shot dead

Published: 10/23/2021 in BBC News - World

Quiñónez, one of the country's best known athletes, was shot in the city of Guyaquil.

State of exemption declared in Ecuador to fight crime

Published: 10/20/2021 in MercoPress

Blinken guaranteed Lasso would maintain democratic principles Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso Monday declared a state of exception for 60 days to set in place military checkpoints to stop criminal activity linked to drug consumption and trafficking.

Ecuador crime wave triggers state of emergency

Published: 10/19/2021 in BBC News - World

A state of emergency is in place for the next two months, allowing soldiers to patrol the streets.

Ecuador's Parliament narrows Pandora Papers enquiry down to one Congressional committee

Published: 10/11/2021 in MercoPress

Lasso was one of the two South American heads of state named in the Pandora Paperts, together with Chile's Piñera Ecuador's National Assembly Monday decided only the Specialized Committee for Constitutional Guarantees will investigate President Guillermo Lasso's alleged wrongdoings after his name came out in the so-called Pandora Papers.

Ecuador eyes some 2,000 pardons after deadly prison riot

Published: 10/02/2021 in MercoPress

Overcrowding is another problem facing Ecuador's prisons The Government of Ecuador is considering the possibility of granting over 2,000 pardons to cut down on the country's jail population after this week's riot in a Guayaquil detention facility which resulted in 118 deaths.

Ecuador To Pardon Thousands After 118 Die In Worst-Ever Prison Riot

Published: 10/01/2021 in NDTV News - World-news

Ecuador is planning to pardon up to 2,000 inmates in order to relieve overcrowding at its detention centers after 118 inmates died and a further 79 were injured in the country's worst-ever prison riot...

Ecuador jail riot: Anxiety, fear and little information

Published: 09/30/2021 in BBC News - World

Families are in a desperate search for loved ones after the deadly fight in the Guayaquil jail.

Ecuador prison 'gang war' leaves more than 100 dead

Published: 09/30/2021 in BBC News - World

Police have stormed a jail in Guayaquil after violence broke out between prisoners.

Over 100 Killed In Ecuador's Latest Prison Violence

Published: 09/29/2021 in NDTV News - World-news

The death count from bloody clashes between rival gangs in an Ecuador prison has surpassed 100, with 52 more wounded, the government prison authority said Wednesday, as soldiers surrounded the...

Ecuador jail: Dozens killed in Guayaquil prison fight

Published: 09/29/2021 in BBC News - World

It is the latest in a series of deadly incidents as rival gang members fight for control of prisons.

Ecuador and IMF reach agreement for disbursement of frozen US$ 6bn funds

Published: 09/09/2021 in MercoPress

The accord also includes fiscal targets for social protection, strengthening government finances for the government of president Guillermo Lasso. Ecuador and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, finally reached a technical agreement involving 6 billion US dollars, according to the country's economy minister Simon Cueva. The accord must still be approved by the IMF governing board but will unblock “international funds”, which have been frozen for months.

Ecuador wants to become full member of the Pacific Alliance

Published: 09/01/2021 in MercoPress

On 27 September a Celac summit is scheduled in Mexico, when president Lasso should meet his future partners from Colombia, Peru and Chile Ecuador has requested to become a full member of the Pacific Alliance, an issue that was discussed by the country's president Guillermo Lasso during a recent visit to his Mexican peer Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Mexico allegedly announced its full support for Ecuador to join the four countries, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile block, considered the most dynamic of the Americas.

State of exception decreed in Ecuador due to covid-19 Delta variant and Delta Plus subvariant

Published: 07/15/2021 in MercoPress

President Lasso based his decision on the fact that these variants are particularly between 30% and 60% more transmissible Upon confirmation of the presence of the Delta and Delta Plus variants of the Sars-Cov-2, Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso, Wednesday decreed a state of exception focused exclusively on the areas where those detections have taken place.

Ecuador changes policy for air travelers

Published: 06/12/2021 in MercoPress

Travelers arriving from Brazil will have to be isolated for 10 days or produce a vaccination card The Government of Ecuador Friday announced new measures regarding the covid-19 status of air travellers irrespective of whether they are arriving from abroad or from within the country.

Conservative Guillermo Lasso is sworn in as Ecuador's new president

Published: 05/25/2021 in MercoPress

“The will of the government will be the will of the people,” Lasso promised. Businessman, banker and centre-right conservative politician Guillermo Lasso has been sworn in as Ecuador's new President Monday for the next four years, in a ceremony held at the National Assembly in Quito.

Chile and Bolivia go back to negotiating table in Ecuador

Published: 05/25/2021 in MercoPress

“Constructive dialogue is the ideal instrument to strengthen ties according to the 2021 road map,” Mayta said. The Governments of Chile and Bolivia and Chile held a new round of talks in Ecuador to advance in the normalization of their bilateral relations, it was reported Monday.

Guillermo Lasso: Ecuador's new leader faces uphill struggle

Published: 05/24/2021 in BBC News - World

The new president faces a divided Congress and plenty of economic challenges amid the Covid pandemic.

Ecuador: Darwin Arch off Galapagos falls down due to erosion

Published: 05/19/2021 in MercoPress

The Arch used to look like this The Darwin Arch, a natural rock in the Ecuadorean Province of Galapagos, has collapsed due to “natural erosion,” the Ministry of the Environment and Water reported late on Monday.

Third-time lucky: Lasso becomes Ecuador's president-elect

Published: 04/12/2021 in MercoPress

Lasso was economy minister when Ecuador adopted the US dollar as its official currency in the late 1990s Contrary to expectations, Guillermo Lasso Sunday surprisingly beat Andrés Arauz to become Ecuador's next president. The right-wing Lasso was a sure winner in the evening 97.91% of the votes counted.

Guillermo Lasso: Conservative ex-banker elected Ecuador president

Published: 04/11/2021 in BBC News - World

Guillermo Lasso, 65, has vowed to attract foreign investment and break away from leftist policies.

Ecuador picks president under the shadow of Covid

Published: 04/10/2021 in BBC News - World

The young left-wing candidate Andrés Arauz faces pro-market former banker Guillermo Lasso.

Ecuador jail fight: Dozens of inmates killed in gang war

Published: 02/24/2021 in BBC News - World

The violence is thought to be linked to a battle for control of the jails after a gang leader's killing.

At least 62 dead in gang violence in Ecuador prison mutinies

Published: 02/24/2021 in MercoPress

The unrest happened at facilities in the port city of Guayaquil in the southwest, and at Cuenca and Latacunga in the Andes. The Ecuadorian police on Tuesday said at least 62 people had been killed in prison mutinies in three separate facilities. News of the violence comes as Ecuador struggles to deal with prison overcrowding and frequent violence between gangs.

62 Inmates Dead In Ecuador Prison Riots

Published: 02/23/2021 in NDTV News - World-news

At least 62 inmates died Tuesday and several were injured in riots blamed on gang rivalry at three jails in Ecuador's overcrowded prison system, authorities said.

Conservative banker will dispute the presidential runoff in Ecuador; protests expected in Quito

Published: 02/22/2021 in MercoPress

Guillermo Lasso will dispute the presidential runoff next April after coming in second place in the fiercely disputed February 7 election Ecuador's electoral authority announced on Sunday that conservative candidate Guillermo Lasso will dispute the presidential runoff next April after coming in second place in the fiercely disputed February 7 election. The third-placed finisher denounced fraud.