Noboa Survives Motorcade Ambush in Cañar

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa emerged unharmed after his motorcade was ambushed in Cañar province by a crowd of about 500 people who hurled rocks, cracked windows and damaged the vehicle; authorities reported possible bullet marks and described the incident as an assassination attempt. Government ministers filed formal complaints, and five people have been detained and will face terrorism and attempted-murder charges. The attack follows earlier assaults on Noboa’s convoys and comes amid nationwide protests triggered by his decision to end a long-standing diesel subsidy, a move the government says will save roughly $1.1–1.4 billion. Indigenous groups and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) have led strikes and roadblocks and accused security forces of heavy-handed actions and arbitrary detentions. The unrest has prompted states of emergency in parts of Ecuador as Noboa presses economic and security reforms aimed at curbing violence and stabilizing public finances.