Ecuador Expels Cuban Diplomats, Embassy Staff Caught Burning Documents on Roof

"The government of Ecuador declared Cuban ambassador to Quito Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez García and the embassy’s entire diplomatic mission personas non grata, giving them all 48 hours to leave the South American country.
At press time, the Ecuadorian government has not provided specific details on its decision to

expel the communist regime’s diplomats from the country. In a brief statement, Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said that the decision was made in accordance with Article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which allows states to declare diplomats of other countries as personas non grata any time and without having to explain its decision. Ambassador Gutiérrez García – and all other Cuban diplomatic, consular, and administrative staff stationed in Ecuador – were given 48 hours to depart from Ecuador.

President Daniel Noboa published a video on social media that, according to local and international outlets, contains footage of Cuban embassy personnel burning documents atop the embassy’s roof. President Noboa described the video as “a paper barbecue.” The Associated Press noted that it witnessed the burning." Breitbart

U.S. and Ecuador launch military operation against organized crime groups

"Military forces from Ecuador and the United States have begun joint military operations against organized crime groups in the South American country, the Pentagon said, although as of Wednesday specific details, including the location and scope of the operation, remained

scarce.
U.S. Southern Command said in a statement late Tuesday that Ecuadorian and U.S. military forces had launched “operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador,” calling the actions a “powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.”
The announcement comes after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa revealed earlier this week that his government has initiated a new phase in the fight against organized crime with joint actions alongside allied countries, as Ecuador faces a sustained wave of violence linked to crimes such as drug trafficking and illegal mining." msn

5.0 Earthquake - Off the Coast of Central America

"The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Muisne, a town with 13,000 inhabitants in Ecuador, in 532 km (331 mi) distance southeast of the epicenter. People likely experienced very weak shaking there. In the capital of Ecuador, Quito, 723 km (449 mi) away from the epicenter, the earthquake could not be felt.

The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking." VD

5.5 Earthquake - 104 km E of Yantzaza, Ecuador

"A strong magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit 104 km E of Yantzaza, Ecuador, shortly after midnight, at 12.17 am local time (America/Lima GMT -5). The quake had a moderate depth of 108 km (67 mi) and was felt widely in the area." VD

5.1 Earthquake - Orellana, 78 km southeast of Quito, Provincia de Pichincha, Ecuador

"A strong magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit 78 km

(49 mi) away from Quito, Provincia de Pichincha, Ecuador, in the afternoon at 4.59 pm local time (America/Guayaquil GMT -5). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.The quake was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD

President of Ecuador Daniel Noboa Attacked in Humanitarian Aid Convoy

"Violent rioters in Ecuador on Sunday assaulted a convoy loaded with humanitarian aid led by President Daniel Noboa in the province of Imbabura amid fierce anti-government protests over the end of fuel subsidies, according to the Ecuadorian government.
On Sunday, President Noboa personally led a humanitarian convoy alongside other

government officials and international representatives to the city of Otavalo, Imbabura, one of the municipalities most affected by the ongoing strikes and violent protests. Ecuadorian presidential spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo explained to local outlets on Monday that some 350 people ambushed the convoy, which was under the protection of some 50 military officials. Jaramillo described the violent protests as terrorist acts and stressed that “the attack came unexpectedly, and what the military did was repel it.”
The presidential spokesperson further detailed that, in addition to President Noboa, Interior Minister John Reimberg and Defense Minister Giancarlo Loffredo were also part of the convoy, as well as Catholic Apostolic Nuncio Andrés Carrascosa, European Union Ambassador Jekaterina Dorodnova, U.N. Resident Coordinator Laura Melo, and Italian Ambassador to Ecuador Giovanni Davoli.
“The president’s goal is to watch over and protect the lives of all Ecuadorians, but there are infiltrated groups that seek confrontation and do not represent the citizenry,” Jaramillo said, and stressed that the assault shows these are not peaceful demonstrations, but “crimes committed by violent and infiltrated groups.” 

Breitbart

Volcanic ash from Sangay volcano observed at 23 000 feet a.s.l., Ecuador

"Volcanic ash from Sangay volcano in Ecuador was observed at 7 010 m (23 000 feet) above

sea level at 04:00 UTC on September 22, 2025. The advisory was issued by the Washington VAAC at 04:24 UTC on the same day.
Satellite imagery (GOES-19) confirmed the volcanic ash emissions, which reached up to 7 010 m (23 000 feet) a.s.l. The ash cloud extended up to approximately 22 km (14 miles) from the summit. Model guidance forecast general west-southwest movement of the plume through 12 hours, shifting to west-northwest by 18 hours. No Aviation Color Code was stated in this advisory." VD

5.4-magnitude earthquake hits near Ecuador's coast

"An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 struck near Ecuador.
The quake was recorded at 12:42 pm local time, with its epicenter registered 38 kilometers north-northwest of the Ecuadorian coastal town of Salinas, located on the western tip of the country's Santa Elena province." baha

Ecuadorian Air Force Commander Assassinated Amid Escalating Crime Crisis

"Lieutenant Colonel Porfirio Javier Cedeño, commander of Ecuador’s Air Force Special Operations Group, was assassinated on February 14, 2025, in Guayaquil. The ambush occurred near the Litoral Penitentiary, a notorious crime hotspot, as Cedeño traveled to Manta for a military ceremony. Hitmen fired over 20 shots at his vehicle, killing him instantly and

critically injuring his driver.
Cedeño, a decorated officer with over 20 years of service, led anti-narcotics operations in Durán, a key drug trafficking hub near Guayaquil. His assassination underscores Ecuador’s spiraling violence, fueled by transnational cartels and local gangs vying for control of lucrative drug routes.
President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” in January 2024, targeting 22 organized crime groups labeled as terrorist organizations. This militarized crackdown initially reduced homicides by 16.5% in 2024 but failed to sustain progress. By early 2025, murders surged again, with January alone recording a 56% increase compared to the same period in 2024." RioTimes

Chaos erupts as Ecuador suffers nationwide blackout

"The government of Ecuador has blamed decades of underinvestment for a nationwide

blackout that hit the South American country.
The emergency was reportedly triggered by a failed transmission line, which caused a cascading malfunction and plunged the nation of 18 million into darkness for hours... power loss caused traffic chaos in large cities, such as Quito and Guayaquil. The capital’s subway system suspended operations. The Education Ministry announced that schools in larger communities would temporarily switch to remote teaching out of concerns for students’ safety." RT

Ecuador justifies Mexican embassy raid

"Ecuador justified storming the Mexican embassy in Quito by saying that the decision was made by President Daniel Noboa to prevent the “imminent flight” of the country’s former vice president, Jorge Glas, who had sought refuge at the mission. Glas fled to the embassy last year after being sentenced to six years in prison for bribery and corruption. Mexico subsequently spurned Ecuador’s repeated requests for permission to arrest the politician." RT

President of Ecuador confirms refusal to transfer weapons to Ukraine

“To our surprise, the United States has publicly stated that this equipment will be used in the armed conflict in Ukraine, and we do not want to be part of it,” Noboa said.In January, it was reported that Ecuador would send six Soviet military helicopters, long-range missile launchers and air defense systems to the United States. In exchange, the country was to receive modern weapons to counter powerful drug trafficking cartels."
MS

Ecuador violence: 178 prison guards, staff held hostage by gangs

"As the stalemate between security forces and organized crime reached a fever pitch, officials in Ecuador said that the gangsters had seized at least 178 prison guards and personnel.

The SNAI prison administration said that there were riots in numerous lockups, with inmates shooting at personnel of the Ecuadorian military forces. The number was 39 more than the previous day.
The small South American country has descended into crisis after years of extending control by global cartels that utilize its ports to ship cocaine to the United States and Europe." WION

Ecuadorian TV crew taken hostage as camera rolls

"A TV news crew in Ecuador has been taken hostage by masked assailants who stormed the station’s studio during a broadcast, waving guns and explosives as a presenter pleaded for help.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon amid a sudden and brutal nationwide wave of violence and kidnappings, after President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency to combat “narcoterrorists.”
Presidential spokesman Roberto Izurieta Canova later said on X (formerly Twitter) that “the vast majority” of the hostages has been rescued." RT

Zelenskyy meets with presidents of Paraguay, Uruguay and Ecuador

"Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has held meetings with the presidents of Paraguay, Uruguay and Ecuador. During his meeting with Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña, Zelenskyy thanked him for Paraguay’s strong support for Ukraine within international organizations."
Pravada

Why Are US Military Personnel Heading To Peru?

"The goal of the operation is to provide “support and assistance to the Special Operations of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces and National Police of Peru,” including in regions recently engulfed in violence. The plenary session of Peru’s Congress last Thursday (May 18) authorised the entry of US troops onto Peruvian soil with the purpose of carrying out “cooperation activities” with Peru’s armed forces and national police. Passed with 70 votes in favor, 33 against and four abstentions, resolution 4766 stipulates that the troops are welcome to stay any time between June 1 and December 31, 2023.

The protesters’ demands included:

. The protesters’ demands included:

• The release of Castillo
• New elections
• A national referendum on forming a Constitutional Assembly to replace Peru’s current constitution, which was imposed by former President Alberto Fujimori following his self-imposed coup of 199

Peru is currently under the control of an unelected government that is heavily supported by Washington but overwhelmingly rejected by the Peruvian people. The crackdown on protests in the south of the Peru by the country’s security forces — the same security forces that US military personnel will soon be joining — has led to dozens of deaths.

EU and US interest in Latin America is rising rapidly as the race for lithium, copper, cobalt and other elements essential for the so-called “clean” energy transition heats up. It is a race that China has been winning pretty handily up until now.

Peru is not only one of China’s biggest trade partners in Latin America; it is home to the only port in Latin America that is managed entirely by Chinese capital. And while Peru may not form part of the Lithium Triangle (Bolivia, Argentina and Chile), it does boast significant deposits of the white metal. By one estimate, it is home to the sixth largest deposits of hard-rock lithium in the world. It is also the world’s second largest producer of copper, zinc and silver, three metals that are also expected to play a major role in supporting renewable energy technologies. Ecuador, is undergoing a major political crisis that is likely to spell the end of the US-aligned Guillermo Lasso government and a handover of power to Rafael Correa’s party and its allies.

And the US government and military have made no secret of their interest in the mineral deposits that countries like Peru hold in their subsoil. In an address to the Washington-based Atlantic Council on Jan 19, Gen. Laura Richardson, head of the U.S. Southern Command, spoke gushingly of Latin America’s rich deposits of “rare earth elements,” “the lithium triangle — Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,” the “largest oil reserves [and] light, sweet crude discovered off Guyana,” Venezuela’s “oil, copper, gold” and the fact that Latin America is home to “31% of the world’s fresh water in this region.” ZH