Fuel Price Hike Ignites Transport Sector — Súper Up 26%, Quito March Planned

The Fuel Adjustment

On April 12, 2026, Ecuador adjusted fuel prices across the board. The increases, as reported by Expreso:

| Fuel | Previous | New | Change | |------|----------|-----|--------| | Extra / Ecopaís | $2.894/gal | $3.024/gal | +$0.13 (+4.6%) | | Súper | $3.62/gal | $4.57/gal | +$0.95 (+26%) | | Diesel | $2.828/gal | $2.962/gal | +$0.134 (+4.7%) |

The headline is Súper, which took a 26% jump in a single adjustment. The more commonly used Extra/Ecopaís and Diesel moved far less — roughly 4.6% and 4.7% respectively — but that's the fuel most commercial transport and long-haul drivers actually buy.

The Transport Sector Response

Two voices speaking for the broader transport sector, both on the record in Expreso:

Carlos Brunis, a Quito transport leader:

"Nosotros responsablemente iremos tomando las decisiones que más convengan a los intereses de todos. Sí, estamos planificando una gran marcha por la paz y seguridad."

(We will responsibly make the decisions that best serve everyone's interests. Yes, we are planning a major march for peace and security.)

Santiago Mauricio Garzón, president of the Heavy Transport Chamber (Cámara de Transporte Pesado):

"En principio nosotros deberemos pasar la tarifa a los consumidores de nuestros servicios que son exportadores e importadores."

(In principle we will have to pass the cost on to the consumers of our services — exporters and importers.)

What's Planned — and What Isn't

• A large march in Quito is in planning. No specific date has been announced publicly.
• Framed as "peace and security" — not as a fuel strike — which is a deliberate choice. The transport sector in Ecuador has repeatedly paralyzed the country with indefinite service suspensions in the past; this time the rhetoric is being calibrated to preserve room for dialogue with the government.
• No service suspension has been announced. Long-distance bus service, heavy freight, and urban taxis are still running on normal schedules.
• Dialogue with the national government is being requested rather than demanded under strike threat.

What This Means for Expats

• Watch this space closely if you're making coast or sierra travel plans in the next two weeks. Ecuador's transport sector has historically turned rhetoric into road blockades within days. A "planned march" can become a "nationwide work stoppage" on a 48-hour timeline if negotiations break down.
• Your Uber and taxi fares are going up. Even the modest Extra/Ecopaís hike feeds through to daily transportation costs within weeks. Expect a 3–5% bump in urban ride prices over the next month.
• Long-haul freight rates will move next. Anything you're importing into Ecuador — furniture, inventory, vehicles — will see cost passthrough from the heavy transport sector, per Garzón's on-record statement.
• The Súper 26% jump matters less than the diesel and Extra changes for most expats. Súper is premium gasoline used in newer imported cars. Most Ecuadorian drivers, commercial vehicles, and public transport run on Extra/Ecopaís (4.6%) and diesel (4.7%).
• If a strike happens, stock up. Past Ecuadorian transport strikes have included blocked highways, interrupted supermarket supply chains, and regional fuel shortages. Keep a small reserve of shelf-stable food, bottled water, and cash on hand as a standard precaution during these negotiations.

Source: Expreso