Ecuador's armed forces say 17 kidnapped soldiers freed
ReutersOCT 2
Ecuador: Soldiers Freed After Kidnapping, Fuel Protests Continue
Above: Demonstrators clash with the police officers at a roadblock in Cayambe, Ecuador on Oct. 1, 2025. Image copyright: Felipe Stanley/Agencia Press South/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Ecuador is facing genuine terrorism disguised as protest. Day after day, action after action, it gets clearer that those on the streets are not protesting for legitimate reasons, but rather disrupting the country for their own benefit.
Government-critical narrative
Noboa and his allies have sought to smear legitimate protesters as terrorists in a bid to justify their brutal repression against whoever dares to oppose his authoritarian government. They have failed to present evidence for their claims, because there is none.