Ecuador under a 15-day nighttime curfew

Nine provinces and four other municipalities in Ecuador are under a new nighttime curfew from may 3 and for fifteen days, during which security forces will seek to intensify the fight against organized crime, which keeps the country at an unprecedented level of violence. This is the second time this year that President Daniel Noboa has decided to apply this mobility restriction between 23:00 and 5:00 local time because, although according to the Government it has had good results, the violence persists and criminal groups have adapted their strategies to continue operating, according to the decree with which the president formalized the measure.

Ecuador closed 2025 with a record of 9,269 homicides and registered 2,086 murders in the first quarter of 2026. According to the authorities, the violence is caused by disputes between leaders of the same gangs who want to consolidate their power or by clashes between rival groups. More about this topic in English by EFE.