Power outage leaves millions of Ecuadorians in the dark after transmission line fails

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A failure in an energy transmission line on Wednesday produced an unexpected blackout throughout Ecuador, the government said, days after announcing that there would be power outages in the country due to production problems. Ecuador's Minister of Energy...

Rescuers find more victims after a landslide in Ecuador, rising the death toll to 8

RIO VERDE, Ecuador (AP) — Rescue teams and some inhabitants searched the mud Monday looking for more victims of a landslide in central Ecuador that killed at least eight people. Heavy rains over the weekend drenched several provinces of Ecuador, but the community of Baños was one...

Heavy rains set off landslides in Ecuador, killing at least 6 and leaving dozens missing

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A landslide surged over a highway in central Ecuador on Sunday, killing at least six people and leaving 30 others missing, authorities said as heavy rains pummeled the country and caused rivers to overflow. The flood of mud and debris plowed down the hillside...

5 dogs with military intelligence unit in violence-plagued Ecuador given medals for service

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The dogs were quick and precise. One located the drugs and neutralized the person carrying them. Another found explosives hidden under a car's tire. The dogs — Dayco, Amanda, Apolo, Zeus and Maly — were showing their skills Monday at a military...

Protesters rally in Peru against decree classifying seven gender identities as “mental illness”

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Sexual diversity activists protested in Peru’s capital in front of the health ministry Friday to demand that the government repeal a decree that characterizes seven gender identities, including transgenderism, as “mental illnesses.” Protesters also gathered...

Ecuadorians approve referendum measures to toughen fight against gangs and violence, according to official quick count

Venezuela closes its embassy in Ecuador to protest the police raid on the Mexican Embassy there

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the closure of his country’s embassy and consulates in Ecuador on Tuesday in solidarity with Mexico in its protest over a raid by Ecuadorian authorities on the Mexican Embassy in Quito. Maduro and other presidents...

Ecuadorians wanted an action man. President Noboa has fulfilled that role — embassy raid included

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — While world leaders have expressed shock and bewilderment over Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa’s decision to raid Mexico’s embassy last Friday, the extraordinarily unusual move — and Noboa's relative silence about it — is unlikely to hurt him with his constituents....

International leaders condemn Ecuador after police break into the Mexican Embassy in Quito

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The global condemnation of Ecuador's government for its decision to break into the Mexican Embassy snowballed Sunday with more presidents and other leaders expressing disapproval, shock and dismay. The criticism came as Mexico's ambassador and other personnel...

Former Ecuadorian VP arrested after police broke into embassy has long faced corruption accusations

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuadorian authorities took the extraordinarily unusual step of breaking into a foreign embassy to arrest a former vice president facing corruption charges. The move earned the administration of President Daniel Noboa swift condemnation from fellow leaders as well as...