Five Arrested After Alleged ‘Assassination Attempt’ on Ecuador’s President — What Really Happened?

Five people have been arrested following an alleged assassination attempt on Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Noboa is seen here on August 18.(Adriano Machado/Reuters)

Quito, Ecuador — October 8, 2025 - Ecuadorian authorities arrested five individuals Tuesday following what officials described as an assassination attempt on President Daniel Noboa, after protesters hurled rocks at his motorcade and evidence emerged of bullet damage to his vehicle. Noboa, 37, emerged unscathed from the attack, which unfolded amid escalating demonstrations against his government's decision to eliminate fuel subsidies.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon as Noboa's convoy traveled to a student event in Cuenca, approximately 77 km (48 miles) south of Quito. Environment and Energy Minister Inés Manzano reported that around 500 protesters surrounded the motorcade, throwing rocks and stones that cracked the presidential car's windows. Footage released by the presidency showed assailants on the roadside, while images depicted the vehicle with a badly damaged windscreen.Manzano, who filed a formal report with prosecutors, cited "signs of bullet damage" on the car, elevating the event to an alleged assassination plot.

Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo shared photos of Noboa standing beside the marred vehicle, emphasizing the president's resolve. "The acts of shooting at the president's car, throwing stones, and damaging state property are criminal," Manzano stated, announcing the five detainees would face terrorism and attempted assassination charges—offenses punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

The attack capped 16 days of unrest ignited by Noboa's mid-September executive decree scrapping diesel fuel subsidies, a measure critics say will hike living costs for small-scale farmers and Indigenous communities reliant on affordable transport.The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the nation's largest Indigenous federation, launched strikes, marches, and road blockades in response, demanding dialogue and subsidy reinstatement.

Noboa's administration defended the policy as fiscally necessary, projecting $1.1 billion in annual savings redirected as compensation to affected farmers and transport workers.Reelected in April 2025 on a tough-on-crime platform, Noboa has invoked emergency powers multiple times, including recent declarations in several provinces to quell disorder.Monday evening saw about 200 protesters in Quito blocked by police, dispersing peacefully.

CONAIE condemned the violence as "orchestrated," accusing police and military of brutality and reporting arbitrary detentions of at least five members, including elderly women in traditional dress—one video showed a woman escorted by masked officers.The group denied involvement in the attack, framing it as a pretext for crackdowns.

The episode drew swift condemnation from Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama, with their foreign ministries expressing solidarity and concern over democratic stability in the Andean nation.Noboa addressed the crowd in Cuenca, vowing his government "will not tolerate such actions" and affirming the rule of law applies universally.

Ecuador, grappling with gang violence and economic strains since Noboa's 2023 election, faces a delicate balance: The subsidy cuts aim to curb a $10 billion fiscal deficit, but protests risk derailing his security-focused agenda, which includes a April 2024 referendum empowering military anti-crime roles.As investigations proceed, analysts warn of potential escalation, with CONAIE threatening renewed blockades if detentions persist.

The five suspects, whose identities remain undisclosed, are in custody pending trial. For Noboa, unscathed but embattled, the motorcade assault underscores the perils of governance in a polarized Ecuador, where policy clashes can ignite from subsidy snips to outright threats on the presidency.