El Quinche Pilgrimages Rescheduled Due to 2025 Referendum and Plebiscite
The Parish of San Pedro de El Quinche has announced that the traditional pilgrimages originally planned for November 14 and 15, 2025, will be postponed due to the national referendum and plebiscite scheduled for November 16. Authorities explained that security resources, including more than 100,000 military and police personnel, will be fully dedicated to electoral operations, limiting the capacity to manage crowds and traffic along the pilgrimage routes.
Organizers emphasized that the change is intended to ensure the safety of devotees, who annually number in the hundreds of thousands along Quito’s northeastern corridor. The new dates are set for Friday, November 21, and Saturday, November 22, maintaining the traditional night-time schedule and the usual starting and ending points toward the Sanctuary of the Virgin of El Quinche.
In previous years, municipal and police operations involved dozens of road closures, detours, and coordination along routes through Calderón, Guayllabamba, Palugo, Pifo, Yaruquí, Checa, and Cusubamba, supported by hundreds of traffic officers and security personnel. Reproducing the same level of logistics during the referendum period would be impossible, authorities noted, due to the deployment of forces to protect the electoral process and maintain public order.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) convened its electoral security table in late October with participation from over 20 institutions and 57,460 police officers, complemented by vehicles, aircraft, and drones. These measures are designed to safeguard polling sites and voters, particularly in complex provinces such as Guayas, Manabí, and Los Ríos. The activation of this security plan directly affects the capacity to simultaneously coordinate mass pilgrimages like El Quinche, which in past editions drew up to 700,000 participants over three days.
Church authorities and organizers urged pilgrims to adjust plans for the new dates and avoid unauthorized gatherings on the original weekend, stressing that compliance is essential for safety. The postponement illustrates the careful balancing act between respecting Ecuadorian religious traditions and ensuring an orderly and secure electoral process.
Peregrinaciones a El Quinche se reprograman por referéndum y consulta de 2025
La Parroquia de San Pedro de El Quinche anunció que las tradicionales peregrinaciones previstas para los días 14 y 15 de noviembre de 2025 se posponen debido al referéndum y consulta popular programados para el 16 de noviembre. Las autoridades explicaron que los recursos de seguridad, incluidos más de 100,000 militares y policías, estarán dedicados a garantizar el proceso electoral, limitando la capacidad para controlar el tráfico y las multitudes en las rutas de la peregrinación.
Los organizadores destacaron que el cambio busca proteger la seguridad de los fieles, que cada año ascienden a cientos de miles a lo largo del corredor noreste de Quito. Las nuevas fechas serán viernes 21 y sábado 22 de noviembre, manteniendo el horario nocturno tradicional y los puntos habituales de inicio y final hacia el Santuario de la Virgen de El Quinche.
En años anteriores, las operaciones municipales y policiales incluyeron decenas de cierres viales, desvíos y coordinación en rutas por Calderón, Guayllabamba, Palugo, Pifo, Yaruquí, Checa y Cusubamba, apoyadas por cientos de agentes de tránsito y seguridad. Reproducir la misma logística durante la semana del referéndum sería imposible, indicaron las autoridades, debido al despliegue para proteger el proceso electoral.
El Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) convocó a su mesa de seguridad electoral a fines de octubre, con la participación de más de 20 instituciones y 57,460 policías, complementados con vehículos, aeronaves y drones, especialmente en provincias complejas como Guayas, Manabí y Los Ríos. Este despliegue limita la capacidad de coordinar simultáneamente peregrinaciones masivas como El Quinche, que en ediciones anteriores reunió hasta 700,000 personas en tres días.
Las autoridades eclesiásticas exhortaron a los fieles a planificar las nuevas fechas y evitar concentraciones no autorizadas los días originalmente previstos, subrayando que cumplir con estas indicaciones es fundamental para la seguridad. La reprogramación refleja el equilibrio necesario entre la tradición religiosa y la garantía de un proceso electoral ordenado.
El Quinche Pilgrimages Rescheduled Due to 2025 Referendum and Plebiscite
The Parish of San Pedro de El Quinche has announced that the traditional pilgrimages originally planned for November 14 and 15, 2025, will be postponed due to the national referendum and plebiscite scheduled for November 16. Authorities explained that security resources, including more than 100,000 military and police personnel, will be fully dedicated to electoral operations, limiting the capacity to manage crowds and traffic along the pilgrimage routes.
Organizers emphasized that the change is intended to ensure the safety of devotees, who annually number in the hundreds of thousands along Quito’s northeastern corridor. The new dates are set for Friday, November 21, and Saturday, November 22, maintaining the traditional night-time schedule and the usual starting and ending points toward the Sanctuary of the Virgin of El Quinche.
In previous years, municipal and police operations involved dozens of road closures, detours, and coordination along routes through Calderón, Guayllabamba, Palugo, Pifo, Yaruquí, Checa, and Cusubamba, supported by hundreds of traffic officers and security personnel. Reproducing the same level of logistics during the referendum period would be impossible, authorities noted, due to the deployment of forces to protect the electoral process and maintain public order.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) convened its electoral security table in late October with participation from over 20 institutions and 57,460 police officers, complemented by vehicles, aircraft, and drones. These measures are designed to safeguard polling sites and voters, particularly in complex provinces such as Guayas, Manabí, and Los Ríos. The activation of this security plan directly affects the capacity to simultaneously coordinate mass pilgrimages like El Quinche, which in past editions drew up to 700,000 participants over three days.
Church authorities and organizers urged pilgrims to adjust plans for the new dates and avoid unauthorized gatherings on the original weekend, stressing that compliance is essential for safety. The postponement illustrates the careful balancing act between respecting Ecuadorian religious traditions and ensuring an orderly and secure electoral process.
Peregrinações a El Quinche são adiadas devido ao referendo e plebiscito de 2025
A Paróquia de San Pedro de El Quinche anunciou que as tradicionais peregrinações programadas para 14 e 15 de novembro de 2025 foram adiadas devido ao referendo e plebiscito nacional marcado para 16 de novembro. As autoridades explicaram que os recursos de segurança, incluindo mais de 100.000 militares e policiais, estarão totalmente dedicados às operações eleitorais, limitando a capacidade de gerenciar multidões e trânsito nas rotas da peregrinação.
Os organizadores destacaram que a mudança visa garantir a segurança dos fiéis, que anualmente chegam a centenas de milhares ao longo do corredor nordeste de Quito. As novas datas foram definidas para sexta-feira, 21 de novembro, e sábado, 22 de novembro, mantendo o horário noturno tradicional e os pontos habituais de partida e chegada ao Santuário da Virgem de El Quinche.
Em anos anteriores, operações municipais e policiais envolveram dezenas de fechamentos de ruas, desvios e coordenação ao longo de rotas por Calderón, Guayllabamba, Palugo, Pifo, Yaruquí, Checa e Cusubamba, com apoio de centenas de agentes de trânsito e segurança. Reproduzir o mesmo nível de logística durante o período do referendo seria impossível devido à prioridade de proteger o processo eleitoral e manter a ordem pública.
O Conselho Nacional Eleitoral (CNE) reuniu sua mesa de segurança eleitoral no final de outubro com mais de 20 instituições e 57.460 policiais, apoiados por veículos, aeronaves e drones, principalmente nas províncias mais complexas como Guayas, Manabí e Los Ríos. Esse planejamento de segurança afeta diretamente a capacidade de coordenar peregrinações de grande escala, como a de El Quinche, que já reuniu até 700.000 participantes em três dias.
As autoridades da igreja e os organizadores pedem aos devotos que planejem as novas datas e evitem encontros não autorizados nos dias originalmente previstos, enfatizando que o cumprimento das regras é essencial para a segurança. O adiamento mostra a necessidade de equilibrar tradições religiosas com um processo eleitoral seguro e organizado.
