By A government minister claimed the attack was an assassination attempt, but protesters said they were the ones targeted with violence.
A government official in Ecuador has accused protesters of attempting to attack President Daniel Noboa, alleging that a group of about 500 people surrounded his vehicle and threw rocks.
The incident occurred in the south-central province of Cañar as Noboa arrived in the canton of El Tambo for an event on water treatment and sewage. Environment and Energy Minister Inés Manzano said the president’s car showed “signs of bullet damage.” In a statement to the press, she said she had filed a report 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 released a statement following the attack on Tuesday, pledging to hold those responsible accountable.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa.
“Obeying orders to radicalize, 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,” it added.
According to Manzano, five people have been detained in connection with the incident. Noboa was not injured.
Video released by the president’s office shows Noboa’s motorcade navigating a roadway lined with protesters, some of whom picked up rocks and hurled them at the vehicles, shattering the glass. Another image showed a silver SUV with a shattered passenger window and a cracked windshield, though it remains unclear whether any shots were fired.
Noboa, Ecuador’s youngest-ever president, was re-elected in April following a heated runoff election against left-wing rival Luisa González. His victory in May marked the start of his first full term in office. A conservative politician and businessman, Noboa previously served a single term in the National Assembly and was first elected in 2023 to complete the remainder of former President Guillermo Lasso’s term after Lasso dissolved his government.
This handout picture released by the Ecuadorian Presidency shows one of the vehicles in the motorcade carrying Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, which was attacked by gunfire in Cañar, Ecuador, on Oct 7, 2025. (HANDOUT / ECUADORIAN PRESIDENCY)
Protests and Political Tensions Deepen
Combatting crime has been a central theme of President Daniel Noboa’s administration. Once regarded as an “island of peace” in South America, Ecuador has seen homicide rates surge in recent years as criminal organizations expand their drug trafficking routes through the country.
The nation’s economy has also struggled to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, fueling discontent across various sectors.
Since taking office, Noboa has faced repeated waves of protest. Most recently, his decision to end a longstanding fuel subsidy has triggered widespread public anger. Critics argue the subsidy helps low-income families manage the rising cost of living, while the government insists it has become economically unsustainable.
In a presidential statement issued on September 12, officials said the subsidy had been “diverted to smuggling, illegal mining and undue benefits,” adding that the $1.1 billion spent annually could instead be redirected to compensate small farmers and transport workers directly.
A video released by the Ecuadorian presidency shows hundreds of people on both sides of the road, many waving arms and shouting, surging forward as the motorcade approaches.
The move prompted the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) — the country’s most powerful Indigenous advocacy group — to launch a national strike. The organization called on its members to lead protests and block major roadways in opposition to the government’s decision.
Following Tuesday’s reported attack on Noboa’s motorcade, however, CONAIE denied any organized assault had taken place, instead accusing security forces of using violence against peaceful demonstrators.
“We denounce that at least five comrades have been arbitrarily detained,” the group posted on X. “Among those attacked are elderly women.” It added that Tuesday marked the 16th consecutive day of protests, declaring: “The people are not the enemy.”
CONAIE largely supported Noboa’s opponent, Luisa González, in the April election, though some of its affiliates later broke ranks to support Noboa’s campaign.
This is not the first time Noboa’s administration has claimed the president was the target of an assassination attempt. In April, shortly after the runoff vote, the government declared a “maximum alert,” alleging that assassins had entered the country from Mexico to destabilize his administration. At the time, officials blamed “sore losers” from the election for orchestrating the alleged plot.
This handout picture released by the Ecuadoran president’s office shows one of the vehicles in the motorcade carrying Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, which was attacked by gunfire in Cañar, Ecuador, on October 7, 2025 © Handout / Ecuadorian Presidency.
