Warden Message 2009-10
April 24, 2009
Dear Warden and Registrant:
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil wishes to inform American citizens visiting or resident in Ecuador that U.S. citizens should practice extreme caution when using taxis in the Guayaquil area. Recently, there have been several incidents involving taxis, including one in which three U.S. citizens were physically threatened and robbed after entering a taxi from the ‘Malecón 2000’, a boardwalk and tourist area in downtown Guayaquil.
In these incidents, locally known as “secuestro express,” taxi drivers and accomplices threaten passengers, usually with guns, and hold them captive as they drive them from ATM to ATM to withdraw the victim’s money. There have been cases of “secuestro express” in up-scale areas in Guayaquil such as Urdesa, the Malecón 2000, and outside of the San Marino Mall. Therefore, U.S. citizens should use caution when selecting a cab regardless of location.
It is important to practice personal security when selecting a taxi. Whenever possible, call a radio taxi rather than hailing a taxi on the street. If you must hail a taxi on the street, take note of the license plate number and take a good look at the driver before entering the taxi. Never enter a taxi that offers the promise of taking you to clubs, bars, or any other unfamiliar location if you did not ask to go there. Send a text to a family member or friend with the taxi make, model, and license plate number before getting into the taxi. If you find yourself involved in a robbery, be non-confrontational and cooperate with the criminal. Nothing material is as valuable as your safety.
A list of radio taxi companies in Guayaquil is available on the Consulate’s website (http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov). The American Consulate General in Guayaquil and the U.S. Government assume no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms listed therein.
If U.S. citizens are involved in a criminal incident, they are encouraged to file a “denuncia,” or “theft report,” with the local police and inform the American Citizens Services Office at the U.S. Consulate General Guayaquil or the U.S. Embassy in Quito.
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Americans living or traveling in Ecuador are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Ecuador. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. Please see the following links for local warden message information in Quito and Guayaquil, respectively, http://ecuador.usembassy.gov and http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov.
U.S. citizens should consult the Country Specific Information for Ecuador and the latest Travel Alerts and Warnings and Worldwide Caution at the Department's web site at http://travel.state.gov. Updated information on travel and security in Ecuador may also be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or by calling 1-202-501-4444 outside the United States.
The U.S. Embassy in Quito is located at Avigiras E12-170 y Eloy Alfaro. The telephone during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) is (011) 593 2 398 5000 X3800. Within the same city use the last seven digits. Add the city code for intercity telephone calls. See also the Embassy web site at http://ecuador.usembassy.gov. American Citizen walk-in hours are between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Thursday, excluding U.S. and Ecuadorian holidays.
The U.S. Consulate General in Guayaquil is located at the corner of Avenida 9 de Octubre and Garcia Moreno (near the Hotel Oro Verde); telephone (011-593-4) 232-3570 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or 232-1152 for after-hours emergencies; fax (011-593-4) 232-0904. See the Consulate General web site at http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov