Ecuador

People gather during the Kanua film festival in Ecuador.

Film festival makes its way through Ecuador's Amazon by boat

For the past few weeks, a floating film festival has been plying the waters of Ecuador's Amazon region. The films are transported aboard a solar-powered boat. It stops in Indigenous communities along the rivers, sets up a projector, and shows films by and about Indigenous people around the globe.

Film festival makes its way through Ecuador's Amazon by boat
mopeds and motorbikes lined up outside of a hotel

A new underground gig economy is booming in New York City as migrants wait for work permits

A new underground gig economy is booming in New York City as migrants wait for work permits
Screenshot from "Cape Flats Kung Fu" by Eavesdrop.

'Planet Hip Hop': The music will always be the voice of the people, Samy Alim says

'Planet Hip Hop': The music will always be the voice of the people, Samy Alim says
Paul Moposita (wearing blue tracksuit), his daughter Sisa and some of the members of Mugre Sur, a band he started more than 20 years ago. 

Ecuadorian group creates political hip-hop with bunnies and clowns

Ecuadorian group creates political hip-hop with bunnies and clowns
The capital Quito is the city in Ecuador that has received the biggest numbers of Venezuelan migrants. 

As Ecuador’s political crisis deepens, Venezuelan LGBTQ migrants feel the pain

As Ecuador’s political crisis deepens, Venezuelan LGBTQ migrants feel the pain
Urchin perch on live coral (left) with fossil coral, the foundation of the live reef, in the foreground, live reef in the background.

Galapagos discovery offers clues to climate impact on deep-sea corals

Scientists say research into newly found reefs could lead to important conservation efforts

Galapagos discovery offers clues to climate impact on deep-sea corals
people outside building

Impeachment trial begins against Ecuador's President Lasso

​​​​​​​Ecuador’s National Assembly is debating the future of President Guillermo Lasso. If it votes to remove Lasso, it would be the first impeachment of an Ecuadorian president since the country’s return to democracy in 1979.

Impeachment trial begins against Ecuador's President Lasso
Children play in a flooded area of Leticia, Colombia, Feb. 14, 2017, located by the Amazon River, on the border with Brazil and Peru.

Brazil’s neighbors wary of environmental impact of a Bolsonaro victory

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has promised to continue facilitating mining and agro industry in Brazil’s portion of the Amazon if he wins another four-year term. But destruction of the Amazon affects the air quality and jeopardizes the water supply in neighboring countries.

Brazil’s neighbors wary of environmental impact of a Bolsonaro victory
Demonstrators ride trucks as they arrive to the capital to protest against the government of President Guillermo Lasso, in Quito, Ecuador, Monday, June 20, 2022. 

‘We are here with one idea, one heart’: Ecuador’s Indigenous groups rally for rights in mass protests

Indigenous leaders have 10 demands including reducing gas prices, halting new mining and gas projects, providing funds for health care and education, and economic relief for millions of families in debt.

‘We are here with one idea, one heart’: Ecuador’s Indigenous groups rally for rights in mass protests
Alex Lucitante and Alexandra Narváez were awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for their work to preserve the rainforest in Ecuador's Amazon.

Indigenous activists in Ecuador's Amazon win major environmental award for reclamation of native lands

Deep in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, two Indigenous activists who secured a legal victory against gold mining in their native lands have won the Goldman Environmental Prize.

Indigenous activists in Ecuador's Amazon win major environmental award for reclamation of native lands
A major oil spill threatens hundreds of Indigenous communities who live along the Coca River that leads into Ecuador's Amazon.

‘We want justice’: Indigenous communities in peril after major oil spill in Ecuador's Amazon 

Many Indigenous communities who depend on the Ecuadorian Amazon’s Coca River are seeing the impact of the oil spill — even hundreds of miles away.

‘We want justice’: Indigenous communities in peril after major oil spill in Ecuador's Amazon 
A marine iguana crawls along the beach on Rabida Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

'Magical' animal encounters on the Galapagos Islands

Writer Jennifer Junghans describes her close encounters with blue-footed boobies and blacktip sharks — and a wondrous face-to-face meeting with a curious pufferfish.

'Magical' animal encounters on the Galapagos Islands
President Joe Biden meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington

US and Chinese presidents strike conciliatory tone during hourslong meeting

US and Chinese presidents hold virtual meeting to discuss strengthening ties. Also, the head of Ecuador's prison system and the country's armed forces chief resign over fresh gang violence that's left another 68 inmates dead. And, twin blasts in the Ugandan capital kill at least three people and injure dozens of others near parliament and the central police station.

US and Chinese presidents strike conciliatory tone during hourslong meeting
A white ambulance is shown from the front with several people wearing military fatigues and carrying weapons standing nearby.

Gang riot in Ecuador prison leaves more than 100 dead, dozens injured

Top of The World: Ecuador's president, Guillermo Lasso, declared a state of emergency for the country’s prison system. And, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid traveled to Bahrain on Thursday to meet with his counterpart and inaugurate Israel's embassy in the capital Manama. Also, former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been convicted for illegal campaign financing.

Gang riot in Ecuador prison leaves more than 100 dead, dozens injured
Cruise boats that used to take tourists around the islands now spend much of their time anchored at the main harbor in Puerto Ayora. 

The Galápagos Islands needs tourism. Can herd immunity revive it?

In mainland Ecuador, only 6% of people have been vaccinated so far. But officials are hoping to have all adults on its islands vaccinated by the end of this month. 

The Galápagos Islands needs tourism. Can herd immunity revive it?