Ecuador Declares Nationwide Night Curfew, Deploys 30,000 Troops to Combat Crime Surge

Ecuador is confronting one of the most turbulent chapters in its modern history, as President Daniel Noboa doubles down on an aggressive security agenda while juggling blackouts, cabinet shake-ups and a jittery economy. Nationwide security crackdown On 24 May, Noboa used his first State of the Union address to promise the extradition of “the country’s most dangerous criminals,” extending a 90-day state of emergency that already covers ten provinces wracked by cartel violence. The decree keeps nightly curfews, green-lights joint police–military patrols and allows warrant-less searches—measures the government says are vital to regain control of ports and prisons that gangs have turned into command centers. Drone attacks and rising homicide rate Even with troops on the streets, violence is spilling offshore. Fishermen from at least three boats in Manabí and Esmeraldas reported being bombed by drones launched from speedboats believed to belong to the Pacific Cartel, a sign that traffickers are now contesting lucrative maritime corridors with military-grade technology. Analysts warn Ecuador is on track to record Latin America’s highest homicide rate for a third straight year, eclipsing its own 2025 record as contract killings surge around container ports and border crossings. Blackouts, cabinet reshuffle and new curfews Security is not Noboa’s only headache. A drought-driven energy crisis forced rolling blackouts of up to six hours a day in April, costing exporters an estimated $120 million. The president responded by firing his energy minister and announcing stricter electricity-saving curfews for public offices and shopping malls. Business chambers say power rationing could shave half a percentage point off 2026 GDP growth unless rains replenish Andean reservoirs before July. Tourism and travel advisories The U.S., U.K. and several EU nations have updated travel advisories, urging visitors to avoid northern coastal provinces after high-profile kidnappings of surfers near Atacames. Yet Quito’s historic center and the Galápagos Islands remain outside the emergency zone, and the government is launching a $15 million “Safe Ecuador” campaign to reassure tour operators ahead of the July–August high season. Regional trade turbulence Compounding domestic woes, a tariff war with Colombia has frozen $1.3 billion in bilateral commerce after Bogotá retaliated against Ecuador’s plant-health restrictions on cut flowers and avocados. The Andean Court of Justice gave both sides until June 15 to lift curbs or face sanctions, raising the stakes for exporters already hit by blackouts and port blockades. What happens next? • Congress will vote in mid-June on Noboa’s fast-track security bill, which seeks harsher sentences for gang leaders and authorizes the military to guard oil pipelines. • The constitutional court is set to rule on the legality of extended curfews, a decision that could either strengthen or undercut the president’s emergency powers. • Rainfall forecasts show a 60 % chance of El Niño conditions easing by early July, a critical factor for ending power rationing and reviving factory output. SEO takeaway Ecuador’s 2026 breaking news landscape is defined by “state of emergency,” “Daniel Noboa security crackdown,” “drone attacks on fishermen,” “rolling blackouts,” and “Colombia-Ecuador tariff war.” As the country battles cartels, energy shortages and trade friction, travelers, investors and the 400,000 Ecuadorians working in seafood and flower exports all watch anxiously for signs of stability.