Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:871 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!bzs From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Ecuador Message-ID: <951108132555_76702.1202_CHN22-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: bzs@world.std.com (daemons) Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Wed, 8 Nov 1995 13:25:55 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 99 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Ecuador ============================================================ Ecuador - Consular Information Sheet June 24, 1994 Country Description: Ecuador has a developing economy. Facilities for tourism are adequate but vary in quality. Widespread civil disorder is rare, but demonstrations are common and often degenerate into rock throwing, looting and other random violence. Entry Requirements: A passport and a return/onward ticket are required for a 90-day stay. Travelers without a visa cannot extend this stay beyond 90 days. For current information concerning entry and customs requirements for Ecuador, travelers can contact the Ecuadorian Embassy at 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, tel (202) 234-7200 or the Consulates in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, Newark, New York or Houston. Medical Facilities: Medical care is available but varies in quality. Cholera is present in parts of Ecuador. Visitors who follow proper precautions about food and drink are not usually at risk. Malaria and dengue fever are on the increase in the coastal area and in the Oriente region. There have been cases of rabies in Guayaquil and cases of diphtheria in Quito. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide payment of medical services outside the United States. In some cases, medical insurance with specific overseas and medical evacuation coverage has proven useful. For additional health information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers' hotline at (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: The most frequent reports of crimes committed against tourists are robberies and assaults. Thieves are often armed with guns or knives. Tourists in the resort areas along the coast and in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil should be especially vigilant around tourist sites. In Quito, tourists should take special care in the historic center of the city at the famous landmark known as El Panecillo and in the public parks. In Guayaquil, points of particular concern are the Las Penas neighborhood and the waterfront promenade known as El Malecon. There is a high incidence of traffic accidents in Ecuador frequently involving buses. Bus travel throughout Ecuador can be particularly dangerous, especially at night, because of the frequency of crime perpetrated against bus travelers. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad." It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Also available from the same address is the Department of State publication, "Tips for Travelers to Central and South America." Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties in Ecuador for possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and offenders can expect prolonged pretrial detention without bail, lengthy jail sentences and fines. Other Information: Maritime safety standards on some tour vessels to the Galapagos Islands are deficient. Travelers have found it useful to verify the credentials of tour vessels in advance. U.S. citizens have been victims of legal harassment by business associates. Under a provision of Ecuadoran law a business dispute that normally would be handled by civil litigation in the U.S. may be converted into a criminal proceeding. This provision of law has been used to impose travel prohibitions against resident Americans and also has led to the arrest of U.S. businesspersons. Embassy Location/Registration: Americans can register and obtain updated information on travel and security within Ecuador at either the U.S. Embassy in Quito or the U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil. The Embassy in Quito is at the corner of Avenida 12 De Octubre and Avenida Patria (across from the Casa De Cultura), telephone (593-2) 562-890/561-749. The Consulate General in Guayaquil is at 9 De Octubre and Garcia Moreno (near the Hotel Oro Verde), telephone (593-4) 323-570/327-893. The Consulate General in Guayaquil has jurisdiction over the Galapagos Islands. No. 94-105 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet of May 27, 1993 by providing updated medical, crime, and legal information. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories