Urgent reminder from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!

According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Ecuador, the public security situation in Ecuador has continued to deteriorate recently, and the number of cases of theft, robbery, and homicide has increased. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassies and Consulates in Ecuador remind Chinese citizens to travel to Ecuador with caution in the near future.

 

In Ecuador, misfortunes never come singly this month. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, winter floods, and landslides occurred one after another, causing many casualties. President Russo declared a state of emergency in 14 provinces of the country on the 21st.

Security situation continues to deteriorate

According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Ecuador, the public security situation in Ecuador has continued to deteriorate recently. Crime rates such as theft, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and murder have continued to rise, and drug cartels have also taken the opportunity to make trouble. According to statistics, there will be 4,450 homicides in Ecuador in 2022, which is almost double that of 2021, but only more than 300 cases have been detected.

 

According to reports from overseas Chinese in Ecuador and Chinese citizens traveling to Ecuador, the number of cases of deliberate intimidation, theft, robbery, and murder by local criminals against Chinese nationals and Chinese tourists is also on the rise. Due to the financial constraints of the Ecuadorian government and insufficient police resources, the detection rate of public security cases is low.

 

The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Embassy in Ecuador, and the Consulate General in Guayaquil reminded and advised Chinese citizens to travel to Ecuador with caution in the near future. Chinese citizens and institutions in Ecuador continue to pay close attention to the local security situation, strengthen security precautions, refrain from going to crowded places, avoid traveling alone or at night, and ensure personal and property safety. In case of emergency, please call the police and contact the Chinese embassy or consulate in Ecuador.

 

Emergency call in Ecuador: 911

 

Global Consular Protection and Service Emergency Hotline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (24 hours):

+86-10-12308

+86-10-65612308

 

Consular protection and assistance telephone number of the embassy in Ecuador:

+593-993977225

 

Consular protection and assistance telephone number of the Consulate General in Guayaquil:

+593-959700792

Enter a state of emergency

On March 18, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit the coastal area of Guayas Province in southwestern Ecuador. The capital Quito, the main city Guayaquil and several provinces all felt the earthquake.

 

According to the Ecuadorian Institute of Geophysics, the earthquake occurred at 12:12 local time on the 18th (1:12 Beijing time on the 19th). kilometer. Subsequently, several minor aftershocks occurred near the epicenter. Relevant departments in Ecuador have ruled out the possibility of a tsunami caused by the earthquake.

 

Ecuadorian President Russo announced on the 21st that the country’s 14 provinces have entered a state of emergency in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes, winter floods, and landslides in the southwestern coastal areas.

 

The Press Secretariat of the Presidential Office of Ecuador stated that President Russo signed a decree on the 20th, stipulating the implementation of a 60-day state of emergency in 14 provinces including the coastal, southern, northern, and north-central regions, in order to properly resettle the victims and prevent similar disasters from happening.

 

The decree stipulates that during the state of emergency, local governments should coordinate actions with public institutions, and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Economy and Finance will also provide corresponding resources and mobilize the armed forces and police if necessary.

 

Ecuador is located in the circum-Pacific seismic zone, where earthquakes and volcanic disasters occur frequently. According to a report released by the National Risk Management Secretariat of Ecuador on the 21st, the earthquake that occurred on the 18th has killed 14 people, injured 494 people, affected more than 1,400 people, and damaged more than 700 houses or buildings. In addition, affected by natural disasters such as seasonal heavy rains, floods and landslides, 21 people have died and more than 20,000 people have been affected in Ecuador this year.