Ecuador reopened 3 land borders with Peru after 6 month security closure

Ecuador's Macará,La Tina international bridge is back open to vehicles and pedestrians, restoring the main overland route between Loja province and Peru's Piura region after a six-month security shutdown.

Border reopened July 7 after six-month closure

The Macará crossing resumed normal transit at 10:30 p.m. on July 7, per local reports, following an order from President Daniel Noboa. Government Minister Nataly Morillo said the southern border had been sealed since late December 2025 "to contain weapons trafficking and reinforce state control," and reopened after officials evaluated the results.

Two other Ecuador-Peru crossings, Zapotillo and Lalamor, reopened on the same schedule. The rollout is gradual, coordinated with police and military still deployed to the area, so travelers should expect a visible security presence and possible extra questioning at the checkpoints.

Customs and tourist declarations back online

Ecuador's customs agency, Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE), reactivated operations at Macará, Zapotillo and Lalamor on July 8. That covers imports, exports, Simplified Customs Declarations (DAS) and the Sworn Declarations for Tourists (DJT) required for travelers bringing personal goods across the land border.

No new visa rules were introduced. Nationals still enter under standard Ecuador and Peru immigration terms, which for most Western passport holders means a stamp on arrival. Overlanders driving personal vehicles will need their DJT and vehicle paperwork in order before approaching the bridge, since the checkpoints are running full controls again after months of inactivity.

What travelers should do differently

Budget extra time at the crossing. Staff are working through a backlog and screening more carefully than usual given the security rationale for the original closure, La Hora reported. Anyone who rerouted through the Huaquillas,Aguas Verdes coastal crossing during the shutdown can now go back to the shorter inland route between Loja and Piura, which cuts hours off the southern Ecuador-to-northern Peru run.

For nomads weighing longer stays on either side, Ecuador's residency and entry rules haven't changed with the reopening , only the physical access point.