Canada updates urgent travel advisory for South American destination
Canada is urging tourists travelling to Ecuador to exercise caution in a travel advisory update highlighting potential safety risks.
On Thursday, the Government of Canada shared a safety and security update for Ecuador, which is known for the Galápagos Islands and the Amazon rainforest. Currently, parts of the country are under a state of emergency due to gang violence.
“Ecuador is in a state of ‘internal armed conflict,'” reads the statement.
As a result, security forces have the authority to enter private homes, read private mail and phone records, and prevent assembly. They can also conduct raids, inspections, and searches. Tourists in affected areas are being warned that a curfew has been announced by authorities and will be in effect from May 3 to 18, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. local time.
This means that during curfew hours, no one’s allowed to walk or drive outside, and rules will be enforced by the National Police and the Armed Forces. Anyone who fails to follow these rules faces penalties or detention. The only ones exempt from curfew rules are healthcare professionals, security forces, and emergency services personnel.
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Despite the curfew, travellers are assured that travel to and from international airports in Quito and Guayaquil won’t be affected. Anyone travelling to the airport during curfew hours must present a boarding pass or airline ticket, as well as a passport or Ecuadorian national ID card.
Affected provinces include Bolívar (in Echeandía and Las Naves cantons only), Cañar (in La Troncal canton only), Cotopaxi (in La Maná canton only), El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and Sucumbíos.
Currently, Canada’s risk level for Ecuador is yellow, which means travellers must “exercise a high degree of caution.”
The Canadian government urges Canadians to sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA), a free and confidential service that notifies citizens outside the country of an emergency abroad or a personal emergency at home.