Ecuador

Cacao exports from Ecuador have increased by 33% to 462.351 tons by October 2025 and have been projected to surpass 623.000 metric tons in 2026, according to the national exporters' association Anecacao

The Organization of American States has signed a security agreement with Ecuador to support its crackdown on organized crime, as rising violence linked to drug gangs has triggered record drug seizures and human rights concerns over state actions

Indigenous-led protests in Ecuador have gained momentum after President Noboa has lifted diesel subsidies, prompting nationwide strikes, highway blockades and clashes with security forces that have resulted in deaths, injuries and numerous detentions

A referendum to rewrite the Constitution has been proposed by President Daniel Noboa, sparking legal debate in Ecuador over whether he bypassed the required approval of the Constitutional Court

A cooperation agreement was signed with the US to jointly combat terrorism and drug trafficking, officially designating gangs Los Lobos and Los Choneros as narcoterrorist organizations

Three new free Digital Points have been inaugurated in the Galápagos Islands to improve digital access and education for thousands of residents as part of a national effort to reduce the digital gap

Professionals and startups in Ecuador have embraced 3D printing to produce custom goods, medical tools, and industrial parts, promoting accessible manufacturing despite high costs of fiber and limited national adoption data

Two new orb-weaving spider species have been discovered in the Amazon rainforest, as Ecuador has expanded its biodiversity records and confirmed for the first time the presence of the American spider genus Pozonia

After sparking a violent crime wave with his 2024 prison escape, Ecuador's most wanted drug lord 'Fito' has been recaptured while facing extradition to the US for trafficking and homicide charges

In response to escalating gang violence, Ecuador has passed reforms that grant broader powers to security forces, enable direct asset seizures, and impose harsher penalties on organized crime

Following a historic gunmen ambush that killed 11 soldiers during an anti-mining operation on 9 May, 1.800 soldiers have been deployed in a massive response that seized heavy machinery used in illegal mining, one of the most lucrative criminal economies