Interior Minister Reimberg: No Curfew Exceptions, Not Even for Banana Exporters

The Position

Interior Minister John Reimberg, responding to business sector requests to exempt certain industries from Ecuador's upcoming May 3-18 curfew, stated bluntly (source):

"La excepción es que vayamos a tener a todo el mundo transitando. La excepción es decir que un X sector puede salir, salen todos."

In plain English: carving out an exception for one sector effectively means carving out an exception for everyone, which defeats the purpose.

Who Asked for Exceptions

• Clúster Bananero del Ecuador — the banana and plantain export cluster, one of Ecuador's largest agricultural export sectors, argued that overnight operations are essential to maintaining exports, employment, and production schedules.
• General productive and business sectors — mentioned collectively across reporting, including Guayaquil-based manufacturers and logistics operators.

What This Means for Expats

• If you work in or own a business in an affected sector (agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, night-shift services), you need to restructure shifts for the 15-day window. No relief is coming.
• Overnight logistics will compress into daytime hours. Expect delivery delays, inventory pinches at ports, and possible produce price volatility in Quito, Guayaquil, and Santo Domingo.
• Restaurant and hospitality sectors in affected provinces should plan for no late-night operations between May 3 and May 18.
• Private ride-hail and taxi services will likewise be off the road between 23:00 and 05:00 in affected provinces.
• Medical emergencies are typically exempted in past Ecuadorian curfews, but the executive decree with explicit rules had not been published at the time of Reimberg's statement. Keep your documents and hospital contact info ready.

Context

The curfew (see related article) covers Pichincha, Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and Sucumbíos, plus four cantones in Cotopaxi, Bolívar, and Cañar. It runs nightly from 23:00 to 05:00, May 3 through May 18.

Reimberg's posture closes what would otherwise have been a natural negotiation window. Businesses will need to adapt rather than lobby.

Source: Primicias