Ecuador's 15-Day National Curfew Ended May 18 — 3,422 Detained, 378 Raids, 5.9 Tons of Drugs Seized

Ecuador's nationwide nighttime curfew is over. After 15 days, it ended in the early hours of Monday, May 18, 2026 — and movement restrictions that affected several of the country's largest cities are lifted.

What ended, and where

The curfew ran under Executive Decree 370 (Decreto Ejecutivo 370), signed by President Daniel Noboa. (An executive decree is a presidential order that can impose temporary security measures such as a curfew or state of exception.) It was in force from May 3 through May 18, 2026, with nightly restrictions between 23:00 and 05:00.

Per Primicias, it covered nine provinces and four cantons: Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Pichincha, El Oro, Sucumbíos and Esmeraldas, plus the cantons of La Maná, Las Naves, Echeandía and La Troncal. Major cities included Quito, Guayaquil, Durán, Manta and Esmeraldas. The final night ran between 23:00 Sunday, May 17 and 05:00 Monday, May 18.

The final enforcement tally

According to Expreso's balance report, across the full curfew period authorities counted:

• 3,422 people detained nationwide — of those, 1,910 for breaching the curfew and 1,512 for other offenses.
• 378 raids (allanamientos) across different zones of the country.
• 5.9 tons of controlled substances seized.
• 405 firearms seized.

Primicias separately reported more than 3,000 detained, with more than 600 linked to criminal groups, and in Guayas (Zone 8) 271 detained, 146 of them linked to criminal groups.

What This Means for Expats

• Movement is back to normal. As of 05:00 on May 18 there is no nightly curfew in the affected provinces and cantons. Late-night travel, airport runs, and evening plans are unrestricted again unless a new decree is issued.
• Watch for renewals. Ecuador has repeatedly extended or reissued security decrees in 2026. This one was not extended, but the underlying security situation that prompted it has not disappeared — keep an eye on official announcements before assuming long-term normalcy.
• Carry ID. Even without a curfew, heightened police operations and checkpoints often continue after these periods. Keep your cédula or passport copy on you.
• No travel-document or visa impact. This was a security measure, not an immigration one — it does not affect residency processing or appointments.

Sources: Primicias, Expreso