Ecuadorian President's Car Pelted with Stones and Surrounded by 500 Protesters

October 8, 2025 | 09:42 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A government official in Ecuador accused protesters of attempting to attack President Daniel Noboa. A crowd of 500 people reportedly surrounded his vehicle and threw stones.

Al Jazeera reported that the attack occurred in the south-central province of Canar. Noboa was arriving in the canton of El Tambo for an event on water treatment and waste disposal.

Environment and Energy Minister Ines Manzano said Daniel Noboa's car showed signs of bullet damage. In a statement to the press, she explained that a report had been filed alleging an assassination attempt.

"Shooting at the president’s car, throwing stones, damaging state property — that’s just criminal," Manzano said. "We will not allow this."

The president's office also issued a statement following Tuesday's attack, promising to hold those involved accountable. "Obeying orders to radicalise, they attacked a presidential motorcade carrying civilians. They attempted to forcibly prevent the delivery of a project intended to improve the lives of a community," the statement, published on social media, said.

"All those arrested will be prosecuted for terrorism and attempted murder," he added.

Manzano said five people were detained after the incident. Noboa was unharmed.

Video published online by the president's office showed Noboa's motorcade traveling through a street lined with protesters. Some protesters picked up rocks and threw them at the vehicle, cracking the glass.

A separate image showed a silver SUV with its passenger window and windshield shattered. It was unclear if any bullets were fired.

Daniel Noboa, Ecuador's youngest president, was re-elected in April after a bitterly fought runoff against left-wing rival Luisa Gonzalez. May marked the start of his first full term. Previously, Noboa, a conservative candidate who had served only one term in the National Assembly, had been elected to serve the remaining 18 months of Guillermo Lasso's term. Lasso had previously dissolved his government.

Daniel Noboa pledged to fight crime during his presidential run. Ecuador, once considered an "island of peace" in South America, has seen a surge in homicides as criminal organizations seek to expand drug trafficking routes in the country. The Ecuadorian economy is also struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Daniel Noboa has faced numerous protests since taking office. In recent weeks, for example, he faced intense protests over his decision to end fuel subsidies. Critics argue that fuel subsidies benefit low-income families.

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