IBOV 168,498.45 ▲ 1.39% IPC MEX 71,393.57 ▲ 0.43% MERVAL 2,848,945 — — USD/BRL5.50▼ 0.19% USD/MXN18.61▼ 0.09% USD/CLP975.74▼ 0.09% USD/COP 3,240 — 0.00% USD/PEN3.44▼ 0.07% USD/ARS 1,545 — 0.00% USD/UYU40.31▲ 3.23% USD/PYG6,358▲ 6.40% USD/BOB11.81▲ 0.77% USD/DOP60.61▲ 4.08% USD/CRC448.27▲ 2.01% USD/GTQ7.64▲ 3.17% USD/HNL26.88▲ 3.19% USD/NIO 36.62 — 0.00% USD/VES895.29▼ 0.13% USD/PAB1.00— 0.00% USD/BZD2.00— 0.00% USD/JMD157.99▲ 2.78% USD/TTD6.72▲ 2.44% EUR/BRL6.13▼ 0.69% BRENT 98.32 ▲ 0.03% WTI 90.83 ▲ 0.34% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.24 ▼ 0.18% GOLD 4,075 ▼ 0.94% SILVER 51.94 ▼ 0.56% SOY 1,194 ▲ 1.08% CORN 441.50 ▲ 0.34% WHEAT 591.25 ▼ 1.34% COFFEE 280.15 ▲ 1.08% SUGAR 18.25 ▼ 1.67% ORANGE JUICE 130.55 ▲ 1.63% COTTON 78.54 ▼ 0.22% COCOA 5,119 ▼ 1.20% BEEF 214.05 ▼ 0.16% CATTLE 318.38 ▼ 2.05% LITHIUM 60.91 ▲ 1.21% PETR4 45.36 — 0.00% VALE3 64.04 — 0.00% ITUB4 40.53 — 0.00% BBDC4 14.20 — 0.00% ABEV3 15.48 — 0.00% BBAS3 17.13 — 0.00% B3SA3 14.39 — 0.00% WEGE3 48.19 — 0.00% PRIO3 60.48 — 0.00% SUZB3 53.40 ▲ 2.12% RENT3 30.29 — 0.00% AZZA3 14.76 ▲ 4.98% CSAN3 2.77 — 0.00% RAIZ4 28.00 ▲ 2.56% PCAR3 2.40 ▲ 0.42% GMAT3 3.80 — 0.00% PSSA3 44.35 ▲ 1.46% CVCB3 0.84 ▲ 2.44% POSI3 3.09 ▼ 0.64% SLCE3 16.61 ▲ 1.59% NATU3 5.17 — 0.00% BRKM5 3.20 — 0.00% RANI3 8.53 ▲ 0.83% CSNA3 4.41 — 0.00% IBOV 168,498.45 ▲ 1.39% IPC MEX 71,393.57 ▲ 0.43% MERVAL 2,848,945 — — USD/BRL 5.50 ▼ 0.19% USD/MXN 18.61 ▼ 0.09% USD/CLP 975.74 ▼ 0.09% USD/COP 3,240 — 0.00% USD/PEN 3.44 ▼ 0.07% USD/ARS 1,545 — 0.00% USD/UYU 40.31 ▲ 3.23% USD/PYG 6,358 ▲ 6.40% USD/BOB 11.81 ▲ 0.77% USD/DOP 60.61 ▲ 4.08% USD/CRC 448.27 ▲ 2.01% USD/GTQ 7.64 ▲ 3.17% USD/HNL 26.88 ▲ 3.19% USD/NIO 36.62 — 0.00% USD/VES 895.29 ▼ 0.13% USD/PAB 1.00 — 0.00% USD/BZD 2.00 — 0.00% USD/JMD 157.99 ▲ 2.78% USD/TTD 6.72 ▲ 2.44% EUR/BRL 6.13 ▼ 0.69% BRENT 98.32 ▲ 0.03% WTI 90.83 ▲ 0.34% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.24 ▼ 0.18% GOLD 4,075 ▼ 0.94% SILVER 51.94 ▼ 0.56% SOY 1,194 ▲ 1.08% CORN 441.50 ▲ 0.34% WHEAT 591.25 ▼ 1.34% COFFEE 280.15 ▲ 1.08% SUGAR 18.25 ▼ 1.67% ORANGE JUICE 130.55 ▲ 1.63% COTTON 78.54 ▼ 0.22% COCOA 5,119 ▼ 1.20% BEEF 214.05 ▼ 0.16% CATTLE 318.38 ▼ 2.05% LITHIUM 60.91 ▲ 1.21% PETR4 45.36 — 0.00% VALE3 64.04 — 0.00% ITUB4 40.53 — 0.00% BBDC4 14.20 — 0.00% ABEV3 15.48 — 0.00% BBAS3 17.13 — 0.00% B3SA3 14.39 — 0.00% WEGE3 48.19 — 0.00% PRIO3 60.48 — 0.00% SUZB3 53.40 ▲ 2.12% RENT3 30.29 — 0.00% AZZA3 14.76 ▲ 4.98% CSAN3 2.77 — 0.00% RAIZ4 28.00 ▲ 2.56% PCAR3 2.40 ▲ 0.42% GMAT3 3.80 — 0.00% PSSA3 44.35 ▲ 1.46% CVCB3 0.84 ▲ 2.44% POSI3 3.09 ▼ 0.64% SLCE3 16.61 ▲ 1.59% NATU3 5.17 — 0.00% BRKM5 3.20 — 0.00% RANI3 8.53 ▲ 0.83% CSNA3 4.41 — 0.00%
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Sunday, November 8, 2026

Ecuador Brazil

Ecuador could do away with face masks, but it’s still a moot point

By · · 3 min read

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The positive data are leading many sectors to believe that the government of Guillermo Lasso will release the use of masks, as other countries in the region and in the world have already done.

According to the latest official data, bed occupancy in hospitals is currently 5% and in intensive care units 13% for covid patients, and the trend is downward.

Read also: Check out our coverage on Ecuador

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In addition, out of 100 tests performed in public and private laboratories, only five are positive, which health officials believe could be a sign that Covid-19 is on its way to becoming endemic.

Ecuador could do away with face masks, but it’s still a moot point
“Experts” in Ecuador still wonder if the population is truly protected and can leave their masks behind, or if there is a vulnerable population that could be affected and cause worrisome outbreaks in the future
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Ecuador has shown from the very beginning that it cannot cope with the pandemic, and the local “experts” have been characterized mainly by helplessness and ignorance.

In April 2020, the country experienced the worst of the pandemic, and dozens of dead people remained in their homes and in the streets in the coastal city of Guayaquil (west) for days, waiting for health authorities to remove the bodies from the area that became the center of the pandemic in the country.

And now the helplessness is no better. “Experts” in Ecuador still wonder if the population is truly protected and can leave their masks behind, or if there is a vulnerable population that could be affected and cause worrisome outbreaks in the future.

This at a time when much advanced countries in Europe have left behind all covid measures including mandatory masks months ago and 25 countries worldwide, most of them advanced first world nations, have no entry restrictions at all, including no mandatory testing for foreigners.

After two years of mandatory mask use and millions in economic losses caused by the pandemic, there is increasing pressure to return to normalcy without the use of masks.

While the government continues to urge Ecuadorians to complete their vaccination schedule with the third dose and even get vaccinated with the fourth dose, many Ecuadorians do not want to do that.

Among other things, the negative reports of sometimes fatal side effects of the vaccinations, talk about vaccine induced AIDS and figures from countries such as Denmark, New Zealand, Israsel and the UK give pause for thought.

In these hyper-vaccinated countries, it is mainly the vaccinated who have to be hospitalized, and even among the dead, the proportion of unvaccinated is negligible.

In May, the government’s final decision on the elimination of masks in public places will be announced, a measure that many have called for.

FIRST LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY WITH VACCINE MANDATE

Just how erratic and heavy-handed Ecuador’s Covid-19 strategy was, is also demonstrated by the fact that the country was the first and largely the only Latin American country to introduce vaccine mandates.

This controversial measure applied to everyone, including children as young as five.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error

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