Ecuadorian newspaper Expreso ends print edition after 53 years — The Rio Times
Daily newspaper Expreso in Guayaquil, Ecuador, published its final print edition on October 9, 2026, ending 53 years of operating in paper format. The outlet will continue publishing materials on its website and social media, The Rio Times reports.
The newspaper's owner, Gráficos Nacionales S.A. (Granasa), officially explained the decision as part of the company's financial review process. Another Granasa publication, the tabloid Extra, will continue to be published in both print and digital versions.
The final print edition
Expreso was founded in 1973, when Ecuador was ruled by a military dictatorship. In its farewell editorial, the outlet said it was leaving the paper format but would continue informing readers on phones, tablets, and computers. The final issue was published on the day Guayaquil's independence was commemorated.
That day, former Expreso journalists, photographers, and editors gathered at San Francisco Square in the city. As the newspaper reported, participants described the meeting as a farewell among colleagues rather than a protest.
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Claims of pressure and financial losses
Granasa management and press freedom organizations link the end of printing to pressure from state authorities. According to the company's account, in September 2025 the SRI tax service issued reports concerning distributors of its newspapers, after which the Attorney General's Office opened a preliminary investigation over suspicions of tax fraud and money laundering.
In February 2026, the corporate sector regulator imposed administrative intervention on Granasa. The company claims it lost about 70% of its advertising revenue because of the dispute, and that reviews of its accounts allegedly found no violations. This is the publisher's claim, not facts established by a court.
Granasa shareholders scheduled a meeting for October 13 on the possible sale of nine real estate properties and the company's brands. According to Ecuavisa, cited by the Inter American Press Association, the combined starting price of the nine properties is $17.35 million.
