Ecuador Declares a 60-Day State of Exception in Seven Provinces, Quito and Two Cantons

The Ecuadorian government has declared a new state of exception lasting 60 days, including measures such as curfews and mobility restrictions. This decree, signed on January 2, 2025, by President Noboa, marks an expansion of the previous state of exception implemented in 2024. For the first time, it includes the province of Sucumbíos at the border with Colombia and the coastal canton of La Troncal in the province of Cañar.

Key Details of the State of Emergency

The state of emergency is outlined in Executive Decree 493. It applies to:

• The provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Orellana, Santa Elena, El Oro, and Sucumbíos.

• The Metropolitan District of Quito (province of Pichincha), and the cantons of La Troncal (province of Cañar) and Camilo Ponce Enríquez (province of Azuay).

The government cites the "prolonged presence of organized armed groups" as the primary reason for this measure.

Restrictions Imposed

1. Suspension of Rights:

   • Inviolability of Domicile: Suspended in the seven provinces, the Metropolitan District of Quito, and the cantons of Camilo Ponce Enríquez and La Troncal.

   • Inviolability of Correspondence: Suspended in the same areas.

2. Curfew:

   • Imposed from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM daily in 22 cantons (details below).

   • The Metropolitan District of Quito is not included in the curfew measures.

3. Deployment of Security Forces:

   • The police and armed forces will mobilize to enforce the measures.

   • The military will continue to oversee the country’s prisons under regulated and temporary supervision.

Unlike previous decrees, the current one does not suspend the right to freedom of assembly, but the military presence will be maintained in critical areas.

Cantons with Curfews

Residents in the following cantons must adhere to the nightly curfew for the next 60 days. Those who fail to comply will face legal consequences:

• Azuay: Camilo Ponce Enríquez

• Cañar: La Troncal

• Guayas: Durán, Balao, and the parish of Tenguel

• Los Ríos: Babahoyo, Buena Fe, Quevedo, Pueblo Viejo, Vinces, Valencia, Ventanas, Mocache, Urdaneta, Baba, Palenque, Quinsaloma, Montalvo

• Orellana: La Joya de los Sachas, Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Loreto

• Sucumbíos: Shushufindi, Lago Agrio

Source: Primicias.