Unrest in Ecuador 'risks spilling over into Peru', Foreign Office warns
The Foreign Office has urged travellers to “closely monitor” the situation in Ecuador, warning an ongoing wave of political unrest and gang violence there risks spilling over into neighbouring Peru, although Lata has played down the severity of the impact on the region’s tourist hotspots.
Brits have been advised to follow the advice of police and other authorities after Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa extended the country’s 60-day state of emergency for a further 30 days through to 6 April.
"There may be increased military and police presence around key public buildings, airports, bus terminals and on the streets," the Foreign Office said in an update to its travel advice for Ecuador on Monday (11 March). "Monitor local media and stay away from areas involving increased security activity."
Noboa, who was elected in October 2023 on a promise to crack down on violent crime, declared a two-month state of emergency on 8 January following a series of prison riots, during which a notorious gang leader escaped.
The state of emergency brings with it a daily curfew, managed via traffic light system, although exceptions are being made for people travelling to and from airports.
Several Peruvian states on the Ecuadorian border, meanwhile, have enacted their own states of emergency, with the tensions denting the region’s hopes of a swift recovery for its tourism sector.
"If you are travelling to northern Peru or you plan to cross land border checkpoints, ensure you follow the advice of local authorities," the Foreign Office added.
Peru’s tourism sector started on its long road to recovery last summer following a few difficult years, marred by a slow restart post-Covid and subsequent political unrest.
The country was placed under state of emergency several times last year following protests targeting president Dina Boluarte, who was accused of organising a coup to depose her predecessor Pedro Castillo.
The situation has impacted the sector; G Adventure’s Latin America general manager Sarah Mirginiac told TTG last August the political unrest had hit tourist numbers, and slowed operations down.
However, the sector remains hopeful. "Although we may face more strikes or protests, we don’t believe they will stop us from running our trips or making minor changes to itineraries," said Fernando Rodriguez, Intrepid Travel’s Peru general manager.
Responding to a request for comment from TTG on Monday (11 March), a spokesperson for the Latin American Travel Association (Lata) said: "We understand that the 60-day state of emergency in Ecuador, which took effect on 8 January, has now been extended for a further 30 days.
"While the FCDO currently advises against travel to some specific coastal provinces, it important to note these are not the common tourism spots in Ecuador – the advice excludes the capital city of Quito, the Galapagos Islands, and many of the other flagship destinations within the country.
"The ministry of tourism in Ecuador has confirmed that tourism throughout the country will continue to operate, and Lata members in Ecuador report that, outside of the specifically mentioned areas, tourism continues as normal."
The spokesperson added: "As always, we advise anyone with a trip planned to Ecuador during the state of emergency time frame to consult their tour operator and check the official UK FCDO advice.
"Lata continues to be in close contact with the Ecuadorian authorities and our partners on the ground to gather more information to enable us to update our members accordingly.
"We recommend all those looking to travel to Ecuador in the foreseeable future to book via a reputable Lata tour operator to ensure their trip is protected."
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