ECUADOR · SECURITY
Key Facts
- Power Index Ecuador ranks 8th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 38.2 points (October 2026 edition).
- What is happening Ecuador’s fourth curfew of 2026 began on Sunday, 1 November. Nobody may move from 00:00 to 05:00 until 10 November.
- Why it matters The provinces include Guayaquil, Ecuador’s main port. The curfew overlaps the 2 and 3 November holidays.
- The numbers Five of 24 provinces. The decree counts 33 night homicides, 7% of 483 nationwide, from 17 September to 13 October.
- Who is who President Daniel Noboa signed Decree 519. It amends Decree 498, the state of exception for serious internal unrest.
- What to watch Review by the Constitutional Court, the top constitutional tribunal, and the homicide figures published after 10 November.
- What it means for you US travellers on the coast should be indoors from midnight to 5 a.m. and check the US travel advisory.
Ecuador has begun a ten-night curfew in five coastal provinces, from 00:00 to 05:00. The government says it protects civilians during police and military raids.
Ecuador began a ten-night curfew on its Pacific coast on Sunday, 1 November, the fourth this year. People may not move between midnight and 5 a.m. in five provinces until Tuesday, 10 November.
The coast includes Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and main port, so visitors and shippers are affected. President Daniel Noboa says it protects civilians during police and army raids on gang properties.
What Decree 519 Says
Noboa signed Decree 519 on Thursday, 15 October, in the coastal city of Manta. It amends Decree 498, which declared a state of exception for serious internal unrest, meaning emergency powers that can limit some rights.
The curfew covers El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos and Manabí. Santa Elena and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, the Coast region’s other provinces, are not included.
The decree suspends freedom of movement from 00:00 to 05:00 each night from 1 to 10 November. It says the change does not alter the area or the length of the state of exception.
Exemptions cover need or emergency. Courts, public services and strategic sectors must keep working, and rescue crews may move under the national El Niño storm-season red alert.
Journalists, the Ombudsman’s Office (the state human-rights watchdog) and accredited international officials may monitor operations if they endanger no one. Checks on people must be reasonable and proportionate.
The Government’s Case
The decree cites police data: 483 intentional homicide victims nationwide from 17 September to 13 October. Of these, 281 died between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m.
In the five provinces, 33 homicides happened between 00:00 and 05:00. Guayas had 15, El Oro nine, Manabí six, Los Ríos two and Esmeraldas one.
Interior Minister John Reimberg, who runs the police, says the restriction eases security operations and lowers risk to civilians. On 14 October Noboa said crime fell 40% during the September curfew.
Noboa also said extortion fell and that more than eight tonnes of drugs were seized in September. These are the government’s own claims and were not independently checked.
Three Earlier Curfews This Year
Ecuador held curfews in March, May and September, in varying provinces. The September one ran from 17 to 30 September in Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos and El Oro.
The current curfew adds Esmeraldas to the four September provinces. The September curfew ran for 14 nights, against ten now.
What It Means for You
US travellers on the coast should plan to be indoors from midnight to 5 a.m. through 10 November. Late flights, bus arrivals and nights out are most likely to be affected.
The US State Department, Washington’s foreign ministry, publishes the official Ecuador travel advisory. Checks must be proportionate to need, so carry a passport and any ticket or boarding pass.
Earlier Rio Times coverage includes Ecuador Curfew Planned for Coast 1 November. The 29 November local vote follows the curfew by 19 days.
More is on the Ecuador hub and the Ecuador power structure guide. The Quito city page covers the capital.
What Is Not Known
Penalties for breaking the curfew are not stated in the decree text reviewed. Accounts also differ on arrests during the September curfew, so no figure is given here.
The presidency’s website could not be opened, so the decree wording comes from published legal summaries. The decree orders notice to the National Assembly (parliament) and the Constitutional Court, but whether it was sent is not confirmed.
No independent check of the 40% fall in crime was found. How many people will be detained this time is unknown.
What Comes Next
The curfew ends on Tuesday, 10 November, unless a new decree extends it. Local elections, which choose mayors and councils, follow on Sunday, 29 November.
The end of the curfew does not end the state of exception. That runs under Decree 498, which the amendment leaves unchanged in length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Ecuador curfew in force?
It covers El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos and Manabí provinces on the coast. Guayaquil, the main port city, lies in Guayas.
What are the curfew hours and dates?
Movement is suspended from 00:00 to 05:00 each night from 1 to 10 November. It began at midnight on Sunday, 1 November.
Who can move during the curfew?
People with a need or emergency, and staff of courts, public services and strategic sectors. Journalists and accredited international officials may monitor operations.
Is it safe for US travellers to visit the Ecuador coast?
Check the US State Department’s Ecuador advisory before travel. Plan to be indoors from midnight to 5 a.m. until 10 November.
Sources: Presidency of Ecuador, Executive Decree 519 of 15 October 2026 amending Executive Decree 498 (website could not be opened; wording taken from published legal summaries); Ministry of the Interior of Ecuador; Constitutional Court of Ecuador, opinion 6-26-EE/26 of 29 September 2026 on the state of exception; US State Department travel advisories (all accessed 2 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief