Ecuador, a South American country, has been making a lot of noise recently. President Daniel Noboa's motorcade was surrounded by about 500 people on the road and thrown stones. This happened on October 7, 2025. The government called it an attempted assassination and arrested five people. The attack occurred near Tambo, Kaniar province, and the motorcade was on its way to a public event. Five hundred people suddenly appeared, all the stones smashed into the president's car, the windshield smashed big holes, the side glass was completely broken, and the car body was full of pits. Environment Minister Ines Manzano showed photos to the media, saying that there were bullet marks in the car, and officially reported the attempted assassination case. Security officers arrested five people in the act and charged them with terrorism and assassination.
However, according to Reuters, no independent source is currently serious about the bullets hit the car. Nowa has not been injured and has completed the trip as usual. A month ago, in September 2025, he was engaged in agricultural activities in Innsbruck Province, where the fleet was blocked by 350 people for two hours, and finally relied on military helicopters to escape. These are all related to the government's cancellation of diesel subsidies on September 12, with prices rising from $1.80 per gallon to $2.80, up 55%.
After the subsidy was lifted, drivers across the country went on strike, blocking main roads, burning tires, and parking trucks sideways. The Indigenous Peoples 'Alliance also stepped in, striking indefinitely, setting up roadblocks in more than 20 provinces, and fighting with police. One person has died. On October 4, Novoya ordered a 60-day state of emergency in 10 provinces including Pichincha, banned gatherings and sent troops to patrol. On October 5, four provinces and one city, including Guayas, were added to extend the emergency for 30 days, allowing house searches and communications checks. By October 8, all 14 provinces were under control, the most chaotic in Ecuador in six years. There is a precedent in history. In 2019, President Moreno canceled subsidies and went on strike for 11 days, killing 11 people and injuring 1300 people. The economy lost US$820 million. In 2022, when President Rasso was President, he protested for 18 days, killing 7 people and losing US$1.115 billion. Novoa first set up a price range in June 2024, but it did not cause a big problem. However, it changed the formula in August 2025 and cut all subsidies in October, and the situation exploded.
The indigenous alliance shouted to march into Quito, but Novoa was tough, saying that he would not stop the reform and attack the capital. The government's administrative agency temporarily moved to Latacunga last September, and now emergency control makes the situation even more difficult. This turmoil is not only a domestic matter, but also involves Chinese investment. China has many economic and trade exchanges with Ecuador, and Chinese companies have invested a lot of money in energy and infrastructure. The Cocacodo-Sinclair Hydropower Station built by China Power Construction Corporation is the largest hydropower project in Ecuador, with an investment of more than US $2 billion, supplying 40% of Quito's electricity. PetroChina has invested more than US $5 billion in oil development in the Amazon Basin. There are also port expansion and highway reconstruction involving Chinese capital, scattered in many provinces. Now the protests are causing noise, the goods at the port of Guayas province are piled up, the efficiency is reduced by 60%, the transport vehicles in the oil area are blocked, and the project approval and funds are stuck. Subsidies have been cut, and the money originally saved has to be invested in public transportation. Chinese companies are receiving Quito bus upgrades, but now they are all shut down.
China investment in Ecuador is not new. It has taken root a few years ago. The Cocakodo-Sinclair Hydropower Station was put into operation in 2016, helping Ecuador reduce oil imports and save foreign exchange. But there have also been incidents, such as environmental impact and quality issues, that have made the local community dissatisfied. PetroChina's oil project in the Amazon involves indigenous land and is constantly controversial. These projects bore the brunt of protests. Roads were blocked, supplies could not be transported in, and workers 'safety was also a problem. Ecuador's economy relies on oil and minerals, and China invests in these areas. The Novoa government wants to reform its finances and cut subsidies to save money and repay debts, but the social rebound has been strong and the investment environment has deteriorated. When foreign investment sees turmoil, it hesitates, the rate of return drops, and the project is postponed.
When Novoa came to power, he promised to crack down on crime and engage in the economy, but now the crime rate is high, gangs are rampant, and protests are adding chaos. He sent troops to prison to catch drug lords, but the society was unstable and investors were afraid. Chinese companies have been deeply involved for many years and have invested tens of billions. In the short term, turmoil makes operations difficult. In the long run, policy changes may cause contract problems. Ecuador owes a lot of debt to China, and it wanted to repay the loan by saving money through reform, but the protest dragged down the economy and made it worse. Internationally, Ecuador wants to attract foreign investment, but when this kind of incident happens, its confidence is discounted. Novoa has to find a balance between reform and stability, otherwise the country will be in chaos, and Chinese investment may really be in vain.
Ecuador is a place rich in resources, but politically unstable, with presidents changing and policies wavering. Noboa is young and energetic, but has little experience. He is too eager to push reform and ignores the voices of the bottom. Farmers and drivers are living hard. Diesel prices rise, freight rates rise, and prices rise, making everyone angry. Indigenous groups are powerful and have taken the lead in protesting many times in history, but this time they are in the forefront. The government uses a state of emergency to suppress problems, which is effective in the short term, but it treats the symptoms rather than the root cause. It is necessary to have long-term dialogue and find compromise solutions, such as gradually reducing subsidies or directly subsidizing farmers. Otherwise, protests will escalate, the economy will shut down, and investment will flow out.
China’s investment here is risky, but there are also opportunities. Ecuador’s oil reserves are large, hydropower potential is sufficient, China’s technology is strong, can help develop. But pay attention to local regulations and community relations to avoid conflict. In the past few years, China’s trade volume has risen, over 10 billion in 2024, China is Ecuador’s second-largest trading partner. Petroleum, minerals, infrastructure are the focus. But protests, supply chains break, costs rise. The port of Guayas province is the key, the operating part of China’s capital is now blocked, goods stagnate, impact exports. Amazon’s oil zone is remote, protesters blocked, security is a big danger.
This incident exposed Ecuador's deep-seated problems, such as a wide gap between the rich and the poor, uneven distribution of resources, and government decision-making separated from the masses. Novoa has to learn a lesson, don't just force it, and listen to more opinions. The international community is concerned, and the United Nations and OAS call for dialogue. The Chinese government is expected to pay attention to the security of its own enterprises and exert diplomatic pressure to stabilize the situation. The next few weeks will be crucial to see if the protests will escalate to Quito. If you enter the city and the army is dispatched, the matter will be even bigger. Novoa's leadership has been tested seriously. If he doesn't handle it well, the country's development will go backwards for several years.