“I don’t know what I’m being tried for; I don’t know of any documentation,” said Vice President Verónica Abad. The Electoral Dispute Tribunal set a hearing for August 15th.

Energy Minister Antonio Goncalves explained why the Turkish barge had already set sail for the region without a signed contract.

Where to start this week? I’m taking a slight detour from what’s published in The Cuenca Dispatch (TCD) to discuss some other news from Ecuador, which is related to one of this week’s stories. You’ll read that the Correístas blocked the vote in the National Assembly to impeach Wilman Terán, former president of the Judicial […]

Fishermen from Salinas and other towns in Santa Elena describe how they succumb to pressure from drug traffickers, who pay up to $10,000 to transport drugs.

Between February and June 2024, during the internal armed conflict, violent deaths in Ecuador increased by 61%.

Abad faces legal charges for alleged early campaigning, with a crucial hearing scheduled for August 15th. Amid political tension and personal claims of endangerment, Abad stands firm against mounting pressures from President Noboa’s administration.

I had planned to reprint one of my old columns this week since I’m on vacation. But the major event of the week cannot be ignored, so here I go. I’m talking, of course, about the assassination attempt on Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Thankfully, Trump sustained only minor injuries and will be able to continue […]

The UN Office on Drugs proposes greater control of corruption in Ecuador’s ports, which are key to drug trafficking. The plan includes mechanisms to combat money laundering.

In the first quarter of 2024, the number of Venezuelans leaving Ecuador increased by 33% compared to last year.

The trial is in the preliminary phase, with the deadline for presenting evidence both for and against the case set for Friday.

Community members are ending half a millennium of waiting by building a highway that will link the Central Sierra with the Coast and the Amazon. Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, and Bolívar have united in a $2 million project to realize this dream, with hopes to inaugurate it within a year.

I’m traveling right now for a few weeks—in the US—and it has put me in a pensive mood. I find myself somewhat disconnected from my surroundings. Denver is still familiar to me but does not seem like home anymore. Nor does Florida, my mother’s adopted home state. I feel like I’m a passenger on a […]

The total number of kidnapped migrants is in the thousands, and many do not report these incidents out of fear. Organized crime networks intercept groups of migrants, with taxi or bus drivers sometimes selling travelers to traffickers.

Ecuador’s economy is facing a challenging year in 2024, with significant hurdles such as power outages and political uncertainty due to upcoming elections.

Rapid erosion threatens Ecuador’s largest hydroelectric plant, Coca Codo Sinclair, prompting concerns about its stability and operational future.

Despite no judicial experience, Martínez says she aims to modernize and bring transparency to the Council.

Construction failures and natural risks threaten to permanently put Coca Codo Sinclair, Ecuador’s largest hydroelectric plant, out of operation. Three risks could permanently disable Coca Codo Sinclair, which, with 1,500 megawatts of power, is the largest hydroelectric plant in Ecuador. Coca Codo Sinclair is located between the Amazonian provinces of Napo and Sucumbíos. It was […]

Correismo members on the Oversight Commission approved a report recommending that the Plenary Assembly archive the impeachment trial against Wilman Terán, the former president of the Judiciary Council. On Saturday, June 29, 2024, the Assembly’s Oversight Committee approved a report to file the impeachment petition against Wilman Terán, former president of the Judiciary Council, along […]

In a concerted effort to provide financial assistance to the most vulnerable families and address teenage pregnancies, the government has announced several new measures and programs. More than 1.4 million people currently receive some form of bonus or pension from the state. The government allocates around $1.3 billion annually for these initiatives. Starting in October, […]

Just when you think you’ve seen it all…the Correístas find a way to amaze yet again. Much like a magician who uses sleight of hand to stop you from seeing the big reveal, the Correístas have managed to corrupt the political system once more to let one of their own escape justice. I’m talking, of […]

Four days ago, the Government approached the World Jurist Association (WJA) with the aim of preparing a new state of emergency decree, this time to pass the filters of the Constitutional Court. President Daniel Noboa will attempt again to declare a state of emergency due to the insecurity situation that Ecuador is experiencing, after the […]

The National Government is preparing a new police and military intervention in Durán, involving different ministries. Former presidential candidate Jan Topic is leading a new strategy with the municipality and the private sector, which includes patrols with armored vehicles. The interventions in Durán have lost the element of surprise. Middle managers of the criminal gangs […]

Ecuador’s electricity sector is currently grappling with several major crises, with significant implications for the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant. The Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant has ceased operations due to sediment buildup. Consequently, an emergency has been declared to contract new energy sources. This situation is further exacerbated by the threat of low water […]

Daniel Noboa Azín, President of Ecuador, has exhausted all institutional means to legitimize his candidacy for the 2025 general elections without relinquishing his duties. The only option left is for the Contentious Electoral Tribunal (TCE) to process a complaint for electoral infringement against Vice President Verónica Abad Rojas and potentially disqualify her. After the State […]

During the governments of Lenín Moreno and Guillermo Lasso, the indigenous movement carried out violent protests resulting in deaths and economic losses. The government of Daniel Noboa announced a $0.26 increase in the price of a gallon of extra and Ecopaís gasoline, along with a price adjustment based on a band scheme tied to the […]

This week, the Cuenca Dispatch covers familiar topics: Iza, Abad, Noboa, Mexico, and Coca Codo Sinclair. While all of this information is important, it doesn’t particularly excite me—and that’s a good thing. What I mean is that none of these issues are so outrageous that I feel the need to go on and on about […]

Leonidas Iza Salazar, the president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), has accused the government of Daniel Noboa Azín of allegedly introducing “henchmen” to disrupt their organizational structures. This accusation comes amidst actions rejecting the government’s economic policies. On June 21, 2024, during the celebration of Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun), […]

The Secretary of Management and Development of Peoples and Nationalities of Ecuador, and former leader of Conaie, Marco Guatemal, recently discussed the objectives of his administration and why he believes the elimination of gasoline subsidies does not warrant a popular mobilization. Unlike his predecessor, President Daniel Noboa chose a representative from the same indigenous movement, […]