Ecuador's government increased the value-added tax VAT from 12% to 15% at the beginning of this month, as a measure to finance the fight against organized crime, following a weekend with at least 28 murders

Ecuador has approved a referendum to enhance security measures against organized crime, proposing military street patrols, criminal extradition, and increased prison terms

Ecuador has stopped receiving electricity from Colombia, with Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy, Andrés Camacho, stating that they've stopped exporting electricity to Ecuador as thermal power generation is at its maximum capacity

The US donated a Hercules military aircraft to Ecuador to help combat the rising violence from criminal gangs linked to drug trafficking; the aircraft was originally scheduled for delivery in 2026 but was expedited by 2 years