Daniel Noboa renews state of exception for 30 more days

Ecuador's government has officially renewed the state of exception for 30 days across 10 provinces and three cantons, citing grave internal unrest and the need to contain criminal organizations. This extension of the extraordinary regime aims to sustain security operations and bolster the fight against organized crime.

The renewed state of exception applies to the provinces of Guayas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, El Oro, Pichincha, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Sucumbíos, and Azuay. Additionally, it covers the cantons of La Maná (Cotopaxi), Las Naves (Bolívar), and La Troncal (Cañar). The measure authorizes the coordinated deployment of the Armed Forces to support the National Police.

Under Decree 472, the inviolability of domicile is suspended, granting security forces the authority to conduct searches based on objective indicators to neutralize risks and secure evidence. The inviolability of correspondence is also suspended, allowing for the interception of communications used in criminal planning. Furthermore, authorities can perform temporary requisitions of lawful goods and services under strict necessity criteria.

Reports from the Ministry of the Interior, National Police, and Armed Forces documented 3,684 criminal events and the collection of 5,135 ballistic evidence items in July 2026 within prioritized zones. During that month, 256 intentional homicides were recorded in Guayas, with other provinces also reporting significant numbers. The ECU 911 emergency service coordinated 238,404 incidents between July 1 and August 5, with 81,711 associated with the state of exception.

In the previous state of exception, police operations led to the review of nearly 600,000 people and over 540,000 vehicles, resulting in 4,680 individuals being apprehended. A total of 884 firearms and 3,156 bladed weapons were confiscated. These interventions contributed to a 27% decrease in registered crimes in July 2026 compared to the same month in 2025.