Category: Ecuador

Landslide Kills at Least 24 People in Ecuador’s Capital, 12 Still Missing

QUITO—At least 24 people perished in a landslide in Ecuador’s capital Quito, and 12 others were missing, Mayor Santiago Guarderas said on Tuesday, as rescue teams searched homes and streets covered by mud following the worst deluge in nearly two decades. The torrential rains on Monday night caused a build-up of water in a gorge…


Landslides Kill at Least 24 as Rains Deluge Ecuador Capital

QUITO, Ecuador—A rain-weakened hillside collapsed in Ecuador’s capital, sweeping over homes and a sports field and killing at least 24 people, city officials said Tuesday. The Quito Security Department said at least 48 more people were injured, while eight houses collapsed and others were damaged when the hillside gave way late Monday. The authorities also…


Violent Crime in Ecuador Hits 4 Year High, Murder Rate Doubles

In the aftermath of deadly prison riots and economic fallout from the arrival of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, Ecuadorians are grappling with a historic four-year spike in violent crime, which hit new highs in 2021. Murders in the country have doubled from January to August this year, according to the Ministry of the Government. Additionally, armed assaults increased by 28.4 percent, vehicle…


Ecuadorian Migration Spike Driven by Poverty from Pandemic Aftermath

Among the thousands of migrants heading for the United States border this year, the number of Ecuadorians detained or deported by US border security reached 97,074 in September. That’s more than seven times the number of Ecuadorian migrants encountered by US border officials at the same time last year. William Murillo, an immigration attorney and co-founder…


Olympic Sprinter Alex Quiñónez Fatally Shot in Ecuador

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador—Ecuadorian sprinter Alex Quiñónez was fatally shot in the port city of Guayaquil, police said Saturday. Quiñónez, who was 32, became a national hero in 2012 when he reached the 200-meter final at the London Games, finishing seventh in a race won by Usain Bolt. Guayaquil-based newspaper El Universo reported that Quiñónez was fatally…


Ecuador’s President Declares 60-day State of Emergency Over Rising Crime

QUITO—Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso late on Monday declared a state of emergency in the Andean country as part of a crackdown on the consumption and trafficking of drugs. Lasso, a conservative who took office in May, said the move was a response to rising homicide figures nationwide and other crimes related to narcotic seizures, which…


Cyberattack Disrupts Services at Ecuador’s Largest Bank

QUITO, Ecuador—Customers of Ecuador’s largest bank continued to experience service disruptions on Friday following a cyberattack on the institution several days earlier. Long lines formed outside Pichincha bank branches and thousands of customers took their complaints to social media. People reported being unable to access services offered by the bank’s online and mobile app. ATMs…


Ecuador Declares Prison Emergency After 118 Killed in Riot

QUITO, Ecuador—Ecuador’s president has declared a state of emergency in the prison system following a battle among gang members in a coastal lockup that killed at least 118 people and injured 79 in what authorities say was the worst prison bloodbath ever in the country. Officials said at least five of the dead were found…


Ecuador Prison Riot Kills at Least 24 People, Injures Dozens More

Dozens of inmates were killed on Tuesday after gang members started a riot at a prison located in a coastal city in southwest Ecuador, officials said. The violence erupted at a prison in the Guayaquil region and it took police and military officials five hours to regain control. The fighting involved gunfire, knives, and explosions…


Vaccine Mandate in Ecuador Province Defeated by Legal Action

A grassroots organization defeated a government-backed COVID-19 vaccine mandate in Ecuador’s Loja Province on Aug 5. On July 6, the Emergency Operations Committee (EOC), which is a crisis response branch of Ecuador’s state-level government, released a decree mandating COVID-19 vaccines for province residents over 16 years of age by Aug. 9. The decree, which came…