Ecuador declares 60-day state of emergency as protests erupt over diesel subsidy removal

Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a 60-day state of emergency on Tuesday after violent protests erupted following the government’s surprise removal of a long-standing diesel subsidy last week.

The decree, issued across seven of the country’s roughly two dozen provinces, mobilized the armed forces and national police in an effort the government said was intended to prevent interruptions to public services and maintain freedom of movement. Authorities moved quickly after demonstrators clashed with police in the capital, Quito, where footage showed protesters dismantling barriers and officers firing tear gas.

The Interior Ministry said the measure was prompted by a “severe internal disturbance” and sought to restore order. The U.S. embassy in Quito said the forces were mobilized to “prevent the interruption of public services and maintain freedom of movement for the general population,” and added that the declaration does not impose a curfew but suspends the right to freedom of assembly for gatherings that try to interrupt services or impede others’ rights.

The unrest followed the administration’s announcement last Friday that it would eliminate a decades-old diesel subsidy effective Saturday and redirect the savings toward social programs. The move raised the price of diesel overnight from $1.80 a gallon to $2.80, according to government figures. The administration said the subsidy had become a $1.1 billion burden on public finances and that past consumption patterns showed the benefit flowed disproportionately to higher-income individuals and businesses rather than to the most vulnerable.

Noboa’s government said it would allocate $220 million to the transportation sector to help prevent immediate fare hikes in public transport. Reuters reported the administration plans to implement a price-stabilization mechanism on Dec. 11 to protect consumers from international price swings, but officials provided few details on how the mechanism would operate and who would be eligible for relief.

Protesters, trade unions and some opposition leaders have said the sudden removal will hit low-income households and small transport operators hardest. Demonstrations have included attempts to block roads and dismantle barriers, prompting police responses in several locations. The State Department has not changed its travel advisory for Ecuador, which currently urges U.S. citizens to exercise increased caution and avoid large gatherings where violence could erupt.

Ecuadorian leaders have wrestled with the diesel subsidy issue for years. Previous administrations attempted reforms or cuts and in some cases reversed course amid public backlash. The Noboa administration framed the latest action as part of broader fiscal adjustments intended to stabilize public accounts and redirect subsidies to targeted social programs.

Government officials and protest organizers did not immediately report a definitive toll from the clashes. Local media and social media posts documented scenes of confrontation in Quito on multiple days last week, and authorities said they would enforce the emergency measures while maintaining that essential services must continue. International observers and aid organizations have called for de-escalation and dialogue to address both fiscal needs and the social impacts of the policy change.

The government said the subsidy removal would free funds for social programs, but union leaders and some local officials said they would press for concrete guarantees to protect fares, incomes of transport workers and lower-income households as negotiations proceed under the state of emergency.