Is Ecuador Safe for Americans? New US Travel Warning Highlights Kidnapping Risk

The U.S. Department of State issued an updated travel warning for Ecuador on Aug. 18, saying Level 2: Exercise increased caution applies due to crime, kidnapping, civil unrest and terrorism. The update introduced an area of heightened risk and updated travel advice for U.S. government staff.

The advisory says U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have been victims of kidnapping and extortion in Ecuador. It also warns of terrorist violence, including attacks that can occur in public places without warning.

Ecuador Faces Persistent Security Risks Despite Improvements

Ecuador remains plagued by organized crime violence despite some positive developments in the first half of 2026, the updated warning reads.

InSight Crime’s 2025 homicide review shows that Ecuador’s homicide rate climbed sharply from 2024 to 50.9 homicides per 100,000 population, a record high and up 31.2% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, according to Human Rights Watch, official statistics indicate that Ecuador had over 9,200 homicides in 2025.

Violence has also forced people to flee. As per IDMC, 316,000 people were displaced within Ecuador due to conflict or violence by the end of 2025, with 132,000 IDPs attributed to conflict and violence during 2025.

Meanwhile, Ecuador’s National Police also recorded an 11% decrease in violent deaths in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. The decrease was 515 fewer homicides, with the homicide rate dropping from 25.5 to 22.5 per 100,000 persons, police said.

The figures indicate that violence has eased from the same period last year, but the security situation remains serious enough for Washington to maintain its Level 2 warning and impose stronger restrictions on specific areas.

Several Ecuador Areas Remain Under Level Four

The State Department has designated several spots in Ecuador as a Level 4 travel alert, which classifies the area as “do not travel” due to crime and terrorism.

The areas include Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts in Guayaquil and areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue; Huaquillas and Arenillas in El Oro province; Quevedo, Quinsaloma and Pueblo Viejo in Los Rios province; Duran in Guayas province; and Esmeraldas City and areas north of the city.

The area north of Esmeraldas City, to the Colombia border and east to Carchi province, is also designated as a Level 4 area.

Terrorist and criminal groups often carry out acts of violence such as murder, targeted killings, armed robbery, bombings, kidnapping and attacks there, the State Department reports. It also states that U.S. government employees must be specifically authorized to enter certain restricted areas and that assistance from the U.S. government may be limited.

The advisory also recommends travelers reconsider trips to parts of the provinces of El Oro and Los Rios; areas south of Esmeraldas City; and the provinces of Sucumbios, Manabi, Santa Elena and Santo Domingo.

US-Ecuador Security Cooperation Expands

The travel advisory update comes as the United States and Ecuador expand military cooperation against drug trafficking organizations.

On March 3, U.S. Southern Command said Ecuadorian and U.S. military forces had launched operations against designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador. SOUTHCOM described the operations as part of a joint effort to combat narco-terrorism.

SOUTHCOM stated publicly, “The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.”

Earlier this year, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo said that three U.S. Black Hawk helicopters had arrived in Manta as part of the expanded maritime security cooperation with the U.S., as well as two U.S. warships. The deal would allow Ecuador to triple its maritime interdiction force, Loffredo said.

The partnership is especially aimed at the coastal regions of Ecuador, where authorities report that drug-trafficking groups are smuggling cocaine to world markets through the ports along the Pacific coast. The developments follow ongoing security operations in Esmeraldas and other affected areas in line with organized crime.

Joint Operations Have Included Strikes

The U.S.-Ecuador security partnership has also involved jointly operating against suspected drug-trafficking targets.

In March, Ecuadorian and U.S. troops joined forces in an operation in Sucumbíos province near the Colombian border. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa claimed the action was against a location where the Colombian criminal group Comandos de la Frontera operated.

President Daniel Noboa, describing the strikes on his Instagram account, wrote, “We destroyed the hideout of Mono Tole, the leader of the CDF [Border Commandos], and a training area for drug traffickers.”

The statement was accompanied by video of an explosion at a compound in a forested area. Reports at the time indicated it was unclear if anyone had been killed or captured.

What Americans Should Know Before Visiting Ecuador

The Level 2 designation is not an invitation for Americans NOT to visit Ecuador. Instead, the State Department is urging heightened caution across the country and is designating certain cities where travel is advised against.

The public is warned to exercise caution and avoid demonstrations and crowds, and to keep travel documents within easy reach. The department also suggests enrolling in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which will enable U.S. embassies and consulates to deliver security updates and reach travelers or their emergency contacts in an emergency.

The State Department also urges travelers to prepare for an emergency that doesn’t rely on the U.S. government. In rural areas, assistance from local governments and the U.S. government may be minimal, it says.

The U.S. Embassy in Quito is +593-2-398-5000, and the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil has a main telephone number of +593-4-371-7000.

The major difference for those thinking about traveling is the difference between Ecuador’s country-wide Level 2 designation and the more stringent restrictions on certain sites. The State Department’s Aug. 18 warning was unchanged, and more areas were added to the regions with “enhanced restrictions.”