Ecuador President Daniel Noboa declares holiday and boosts women's entrepreneurship program
President Daniel Noboa announced a one‑day, non‑recoverable national holiday for Friday 26 June 2026 after Ecuador’s football team qualified for the next stage of the 2026 World Cup. The decree suspends work in both public and private sectors while essential services such as water, electricity, health, fire protection and transport will remain operational.
During the same period, Noboa traveled to New York, where he met members of the Ecuadorian community and delivered scholarships to women beneficiaries of the Contigo Mujer programme. The initiative, launched in November 2025, offers free training in entrepreneurship, personal branding and networking to more than 4,000 women, with about 300 participants completing the course between July and September 2026. Noboa highlighted that “our programs started as a campaign dream and are now a reality” and stressed that supporting women entrepreneurs benefits families and communities. Beneficiary Cinthya Herrera thanked the president, saying the program helped her achieve her goals.
These actions reflect the administration’s focus on social development, women’s economic autonomy, and national unity through sport.