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Ecuador's most wanted drug trafficker 'Fito' seen as he was brought to an air base in Guayaquil

Ecuador's most wanted gang leader captured

Ecuador's president has announced that the country's most-wanted fugitive, Los Choneros gang leader 'Fito', had been recaptured over a year after his escape from prison triggered a wave of violence.

World • 26 Jun

Journalist and former legislator Fernando Villavicencio was shot while leaving a rally in August 2023

Five jailed in Ecuador presidential candidate murder

A court in Ecuador has handed down prison sentences of 12 years and 34 years for five people found guilty of murdering presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

World • 13 Jul 24

Ecuador trial over presidential candidate's murder begins

A court in Ecuador has started a trial against five people accused of murdering presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio last year, where the accused could serve up to 26 years in jail if found guilty.

World • 26 Jun 24

Ecuador's suit also mentions 'insulting' statements by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (file pic)

Ecuador sues Mexico over granting of asylum to former VP

Ecuador's foreign ministry has said it has sued Mexico at the International Court of Justice over Mexico's granting of asylum to former Ecuadorean vice-president Jorge Glas.

World • 30 Apr 24

Since January last year, at least a dozen politicians have been killed in Ecuador

Second Ecuadoran mayor killed ahead of anti-crime vote

The mayor of a mining town in Ecuador was shot dead, the second such killing in days ahead of a weekend referendum on tougher measures against organised crime.

World • 20 Apr 24

The court recognised the right for people to make free and informed decisions (Stock image)

Ecuador top court recognises right to euthanasia

Ecuador's Constitutional Court has approved a request from a terminally ill patient to decriminalise euthanasia and ordered the National Assembly to approve a law regulating the procedure within a year.

World • 08 Feb 24

Following the incident, dozens of police officers supported by soldiers could be seen patrolling around the prison, where Ecuador's most dangerous criminals are held

Five inmates escape in new Ecuador prison break

At least five inmates have escaped from Ecuador's vast Guayaquil prison complex, with two of them caught shortly afterward during a vast search operation, police sources have said.

World • 13 Jan 24

Police officers stand guard after a bomb threat was received at El Playón de La Marín in Quito, Ecuador

Ecuador battles drug gangs behind surge of violence

Ecuador's president has declared war on drugs gangs holding scores of prison guards hostage in a wave of violence that saw the storming of a TV station on-air and explosions around the nation.

World • 11 Jan 24

Ecuadorian police arrest several armed men who broke who stormed a live broadcast on the TC television station

What do we know about the security crisis in Ecuador?

Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa has pledged to hit back at rising crime, but he faces an uphill battle amid gang control of prisons, kidnappings of police and bombings.

World • 10 Jan 24

Hundreds of soldiers patrol near-deserted streets in Ecuador's city's after the government and drug mafias declared war on each other

Ecuador 'at war' with drug gangs, says president

Ecuador President Daniel Noboa said that his country was "at war" with drug gangs after a string of violent incidents, including the on-air invasion of a TV station by gunmen.

World • 10 Jan 24

Gunmen forced crew members of the TC broadcaster onto the ground

Gunmen burst into Ecuador TV studio live on air

Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa has ordered military operations against the country's powerful criminal groups after hooded gunmen stormed a television studio and gangsters threatened to execute security forces and civilians.

World • 09 Jan 24

Daniel Noboa, with his his wife Lavinia Valbonesi, speaks to supporters in Olon

Ecuador's youngest president vows to 'restore peace'

Banana empire heir Daniel Noboa, 35, has become Ecuador's youngest-ever president-elect, vowing to "restore peace" to a country ravaged by a bloody drug gang war.

World • 16 Oct 23

Luisa Gonzalez and Daniel Noboa remain in the running to become president

Ecuador: Leftist, business heir in presidential runoff

Two former members of parliament will contest a run-off vote for Ecuador's presidency in October after coming top in the first round of voting.

World • 21 Aug 23

Polls in Ecuador opened at 1pm Irish time in an election overshadowed by violence

'We are afraid' - Ecuador votes on president

Ecuadorans head to the polls today - which opened at 1pm Irish time - in a presidential election tarnished by the murder of a top candidate, which cast a spotlight on the violence ravaging a once-peaceful nation caught up in the global drug trade.

World • 20 Aug 23

Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated last Wednesday as he left a presidential campaign rally

Party of slain Ecuadoran candidate picks replacement

The running mate of assassinated Ecuadoran candidate Fernando Villavicencio will run for president in his place in 20 August elections, their party said.

World • 13 Aug 23

Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after he attended this rally in Quito

Suspects in Ecuador assassination are Colombian: police

Six people arrested in connection with the assassination of a popular presidential candidate in Ecuador, as well as one attacker who was shot dead, were all Colombians, police said.

World • 11 Aug 23

Fernando Villavicencio pictured in 2017 when he worked as a journalist

Ecuador's Villavicencio - fierce opponent of corruption

Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio stood at the forefront of Ecuador's anti-corruption struggle, denouncing irregularities in public contracts just days before being killed in the middle of the election campaign.

World • 10 Aug 23

Fernando Villavicencio was killed after a speech at a sports centre in Quito

Ecuadoran presidential candidate shot dead after rally

A presidential candidate in Ecuador, 59-year-old Fernando Villavicencio, has been shot dead at a rally in the capital Quito.

World • 10 Aug 23

Journalist Lenin Artieda of the Ecuavisa private TV station received an envelope at his workplace (Image: Ecuador National Police)

Letter bombs sent to Ecuador journalists, one explodes

Letter bombs were sent to at least five journalists working in TV and radio stations in Ecuador yesterday, one of which exploded, the country's Interior Minister has said.

World • 21 Mar 23

A wounded inmate is transported from a truck to an ambulance

Ecuador prison riot leaves 44 dead, 108 on the run

At least 44 inmates have died in Ecuador's latest prison riot, the public prosecutor said, as another 100 prisoners managed to escape.

World • 10 May 22

Members of the military guard the prison in Guayaquil as a prisoner's body is removed

At least 75 inmates dead in Ecuador prison riots

At least 62 inmates have been killed as riots, blamed on gang rivalry, erupted simultaneously at three prisons in Ecuador, authorities said.

World • 24 Feb 21

Health staff at a hospital in Quito, Ecuador

Release of delayed tests sees Ecuador virus cases jump

Ecuador's confirmed coronavirus cases more than doubled to a total of 22,719 after the government released a batch of delayed test results, the Andean country's interior minister said on Friday.

Coronavirus • 24 Apr 20

Julian Assange pictured as he left court in London yesterday

Assange aide arrested trying to leave Ecuador

An associate of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested in Quito while trying to leave Ecuador, a day after Assange was taken into custody from Ecuador's embassy in London.

World • 12 Apr 19

Julian Assange, seen here on a balcony of the embassy in 2018, has been inside the building since 2012

Assange to be expelled from Ecudaorian embassy - report

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is reportedly set to be expelled from the Ecuadorian Embassy in central London.

World • 05 Apr 19

Julian Assange at the Embassy of Ecuador in London

Assange taking legal action against Ecuador government

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to take legal action against the government of Ecuador, accusing it of violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms".

World • 20 Oct 18