Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Ecuavisa reports that Guayaquil's ATM will install a traffic light at kilometer 14.5 of Via a la Costa after protests over fatal crashes, while Expreso reports residents have criticized the lack of safe pedestrian crossings in the area.
Prosecutors are expanding the high-profile 'Goleada' money laundering case against Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Álvarez to include his wife, mother, and two brothers — bringing the total number of defendants to 17.
Ecuador's health regulator Arcsa closed a crab restaurant in Sauces 6, north Guayaquil, after multiple citizens reported gastrointestinal illness. Inspectors found no operating permit, expired products, and a bathroom in the kitchen area.
A young woman was abducted in Urdesa after boarding what appeared to be a legitimate ride-share vehicle. Three attackers forced her to unlock her banking apps via facial recognition, drained over $1,000, and demanded $500 more for her release.
Ecuador's Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries Minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo met with the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce in Guayaquil on April 14 to walk through the US Reciprocal Trade Agreement. Headline: 57% of non-oil exports get zero tariffs. Concerns: competition with subsidized US agricultural products.
In the Ietel neighborhood of north Guayaquil, residents have been without electricity for more than 15 hours since Sunday afternoon. Some families have resorted to sleeping inside their cars with the AC running. The heat wave turned a utility failure into a survival problem.
Power outages rippled through neighborhoods across Guayaquil, Daule, and Samborondón on April 12, with CNEL blaming transformer overloads from extreme AC demand during the heat wave. Residents are reporting four-hour outages or longer.
Gunmen opened fire at a sports complex on Avenida 25 de Julio in southern Guayaquil, killing multiple people and wounding several others, including minors. The attack bears the hallmarks of gang violence and underscores why southern Guayaquil remains Ecuador's most dangerous urban zone.
Barcelona SC opens its Copa Libertadores Group D campaign against Brazilian side Cruzeiro at the Estadio Monumental on Tuesday. BSC enters on a high after a 2-0 win over Liga de Quito, while Cruzeiro is struggling. The match carries significant economic implications for Guayaquil.
Police in Guayaquil dismantled a massive phone theft operation involving 25,000 stolen devices valued at over $3 million. Authorities recovered approximately 30% of the phones through device tracking. The scale reveals how organized phone theft has become -- and why basic security practices matter for every resident.
The international Live The 90s Festival arrives in Guayaquil on March 26 at the Palacio de Cristal on the Malecon, featuring Haddaway, Snap!, Dr. Alban, Mr. President, and Daisy Dee from Technotronic. For 80s and 90s kids living in Ecuador, this is the concert of the year.
The U.S. Embassy has issued security alerts for downtown Guayaquil, warning American citizens about ongoing demonstrations following the arrest of Mayor Aquiles Alvarez on money laundering charges. Expats are advised to avoid protest areas and carry identification at all times.
