Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on April 2 declared a new 60-day state of emergency in nine of the country's 24 provinces, including the province of Pichincha, where Quito is located, and Guayas, which includes the main port city of Guayaquil, DW reported on April 3.

Ecuadorian authorities have repeatedly implemented extensive states of emergency to allow targeted counter-crime operations, given extreme gang violence throughout the country. The state of emergency also comes as U.S. military forces have provided logistical and intelligence assistance to Ecuadorian forces. In 2025, Ecuador's homicides surpassed previous records, with a nationwide homicide rate of 50.9 per 100,000 people, making Ecuador the most violent country in South America.