Ecuador president’s convoy attacked, five arrested in alleged assassination attempt

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa narrowly escaped an apparent assassination attempt on October 7, 2025, when his motorcade was attacked by a crowd of approximately 500 protesters in the town of El Tambo, Cañar province. Five individuals were arrested in connection with the attack. The incident occurred as President Noboa was en route to inaugurate a new water treatment and sewage facility, part of his government's efforts to improve infrastructure and public services in rural areas.

According to government officials, as Noboa’s motorcade passed through the area, a crowd of about 500 protesters blocked the road and hurled stones and other projectiles at the vehicles. Environment and Energy Minister Inés Manzano said the president’s car sustained visible bullet damage, suggesting the attack was not merely spontaneous but deliberately violent.

Video footage released by the presidential office shows protesters lining both sides of the road, throwing objects, and damaging vehicles as the convoy forced its way through. The Interior Ministry later announced that five suspects were taken into custody and may face charges of terrorism and attempted assassination.

“This was not a protest, it was a criminal act,” Minister Manzano said. “Shooting at the president’s vehicle, attacking security personnel, and damaging public property are serious crimes, and those responsible will face justice.”

President Noboa, who later addressed supporters in Cuenca, reaffirmed his government’s resolve to maintain order. “Such attacks will not be tolerated in the new Ecuador,” he said. “The law applies to everyone equally no one is above it.”

Noboa’s rule and reform agenda

Daniel Noboa, who assumed office in November 2023, became Ecuador’s youngest-ever president at age 35. His presidency began with promises to restore security and stabilize a nation plagued by gang violence, economic instability, and political fragmentation.

Noboa declared an internal armed conflict earlier in 2024 to combat powerful criminal organizations and launched “Operation Phoenix”, deploying the military to confront drug cartels that have fueled rising homicides. Though his tough-on-crime stance initially won public support, his economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, have provoked widespread anger and mass demonstrations led by indigenous groups and transport unions.

The latest attack appears to be linked to these anti-government protests, which have intensified across several provinces. The indigenous federation CONAIE, a powerful social movement, has organized road blockades and rallies demanding the reversal of Noboa’s austerity measures. CONAIE denied involvement in the convoy attack, accusing security forces of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.

Ongoing Unrest and Previous Incidents

Tuesday’s assault marks the second attack on Noboa’s convoy in recent weeks. In September, his motorcade came under Molotov cocktail fire during protests in Imbabura province.

These incidents reflect the escalating tensions in a country struggling to balance public anger with fiscal reform. Ecuador has faced a deepening fiscal deficit, prompting Noboa’s administration to cut fuel subsidies to secure international financing and reduce state spending.

Regional leaders and international organizations have condemned the attack and called for calm. The government has vowed to continue its reform agenda and strengthen security protections around the president.

Noboa remains determined to see through his security-focused, reformist mandate, despite mounting challenges. “We will not be intimidated,” he said. “Ecuador will move forward, no matter how many try to stop it.”