The Ministry of Transport and Public Works is said to have blamed the Guayaquil City Council for making air activity more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Viteri, who belongs to the conservative Social Christian Party party, took responsibility for the incident.
The official stated she would do it again to protect the city from the arrival of people at risk of having COVID-19.
She claimed the planes had been about to land in the city and the crew members were scheduled to spend the night there before returning the next day.
