President Lasso is facing a tough time in his tenure as the head of the country. Plummeting oil prices, the ongoing efforts to impeach him, drug-related murders, and now a big earthquake to deal with— it’s a daunting task for anyone to handle. So why would he even want to stay on as president? That’s […]

Femicide is a severe problem in Ecuador, as indicated by the shocking number of women who were murdered in 2022. The Alliance for the Monitoring of Femicides in Ecuador, an independent coalition of social organizations, reported that 332 femicides occurred in the country in 2022. This number is the highest since 2014 when femicide was […]

Cuenca aims to promote the widespread use of electric cars, bicycles, and scooters, as part of a massive electromobility project that will replace gasoline-powered buses and taxis. On January 9th, Cuenca launched the final stage of its electromobility plan, with the goal of having fewer polluting vehicles on the streets and reducing greenhouse gases by […]

Legislative Administration Council approves impeachment request against President Lasso and sends it to the Constitutional Court. The recent news regarding the impeachment of President Guillermo Lasso has taken a new turn as the Legislative Administration Council (CAL) approved, with five votes, sending the request for impeachment to the Constitutional Court. The decision was made on […]

Due to issues such as high crime rates, excessive noise, and a surge in the number of restaurants and bars, residents of Quito are increasingly moving to the valleys. Over the last few years, the city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, has witnessed a trend of high-income residents leaving their apartments in the urban […]

Okay, so let’s see if I have this right. The Ecuadorian National Assembly is now trying to impeach the President, again. For an alleged crime that his brother-in-law may or may not have been involved in. That’s the Encuentro case, for those of you who don’t know, which revolves around a supposed interaction Lasso’s brother-in-law […]

The recent Agreement between the US and Ecuador for the exchange of tax information is now a law of the Republic. Ecuador and the United States (US) have enacted a new law allowing them to exchange information that is pertinent to the implementation and enforcement of their domestic tax laws. This agreement encompasses all federal […]

The government of Ecuador is seeking to attract some of the world’s largest mining companies to invest in the country, despite opposition from indigenous communities and the absence of an open mining cadastre. The mining cadastre (register of land boundaries and/or ownership), an essential tool for new requests for concessions, has been closed since 2018, […]

There are 37 defendants on the list in the Sinohydro case, of whom six have drawn public attention for their suspected involvement in the scheme. The Sinohydro case is the latest corruption scandal in Ecuador, despite the alleged bribery occurring from 2010 to 2018. This comes after prosecutor Diana Salazar pressed charges against 37 individuals. […]

The Ministry of Economy and Finance in Ecuador has announced that in 2023 it will deliver a record figure of $3.228 billion to decentralized autonomous governments (GAD), which includes 221 municipalities, 23 prefectures and 821 parish councils. This figure is $174 million more than what was delivered in 2022 and is the largest budget allocation […]

The unity behind the June 2022 Strike is Weakening. The unity among the social organizations that supported the last national strike is weakening, with each organization now having its own agenda and strategy to deal with the government. The only point of agreement they share is their opposition to President Guillermo Lasso, and their wish […]

Guest columnist ChatGPT *  It’s truly shocking to see what’s happening in Ecuador right now. The National Assembly is trying to impeach President Guillermo Lasso without presenting any real evidence. This kind of behavior is a complete violation of the principles of democracy and is an abuse of power. It’s not just the fact that […]

Ecuador’s Public Debt Decreases Ahead of Schedule Ecuador’s government has achieved its goal of reducing the public debt ahead of schedule. According to the Law for the Regulation of Public Finances, the debt should be equivalent to 57% of Ecuador’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025, but in 2022 it was already at 56%. The […]

The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie) has decided to leave the dialogue tables with the government and return to its ten original demands from the national strike of June 2022. This decision was made during the last extended council of Conaie. The Conaie’s first demonstration will be on March 8th, in conjunction with […]

On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, President Lasso signed a trade agreement with Costa Rica, marking the first of his administration with the Latin American country. The Ecuador Costa Rica Trade Association Agreement is expected to come into force during the last quarter of 2023 and hopes to increase the value of Ecuador’s exports to Costa […]

However, the Ministry of Health says that the XBB.1.5 subvariant is already circulating in the country, considered by the WHO as the most contagious since the appearance of Covid-19. According to the Ministry of Health, Ecuador reported the lowest number of Covid-19 infections between February 19 and 25, 2023, since the pandemic broke out in […]

  Two species of gecko are among the prioritized invasive species. Photo: courtesy Felipe Espinoza. The mapped territory also includes three important protected areas: Yasuní National Park, Cuyabeno Fauna Production Reserve and Limoncocha Biological Reserve. The composition of the invasive alien species is 73% plants, 26% animals and 1% fungi.  The scientists obtained the information through the collection […]

Challuabamba is one of the most sought-after areas of Cuenca to live in and to set up businesses. Only 30 years ago it was a sector for agriculture and vacations. On the road that joins Cuenca and Azogues stands one of the most exclusive areas of the Azuayan capital: Challuabamba. A small valley located 15 […]

In Cuenca, at least 16 areas at risk of flooding and 10 parishes vulnerable to landslides, have been identified. The second half of February marked the beginning of a rainy season in Cuenca that will last thru April. The Hydrometeorological Network of the Telecommunications and Potable Water Company (ETAPA) reported that it expects “intense events” […]

I read an interesting article in The Atlantic this week. It was about ‘real-age versus head-age.’ Meaning, how old are you actually and how old do you see yourself in your head. Not physically, but mentally. And here is the interesting thing: in a study of 1,470 people, on average the participants over the age […]

Panamanian figures still don’t add up; all buses currently certified for migrant transport to be re-inspected. They came from different parts of Latin America with a single objective: to reach the United States (US) and a more prosperous life. They managed to cross the Darien jungle, one of the most dangerous in the world due to its vast vegetation and the […]

The Minister of Public Works, Darío Herrera, expects that the investment in infrastructure to reach $500 million in 2023, but the real needs add up to almost $1,000 million. The Ministry of Transport and Public Works began 2023 with a budget of $294 million for investment in works, repair and maintenance of infrastructure, such as […]

In 2023, the challenge for the tuna sector will be to win back markets, not only in the European Union, but also in Argentina, Chile and Peru. The Manabí tuna sector faces a complex 2023 due to “unfair” competition with China, which seeks to strip Ecuador of its title as the main supplier of tuna […]

I still remember the first time I got nailed with a water balloon as I was driving with the windows down right after moving to Cuenca. Two days after as a matter of fact. @*&^%# I yelled! I had two friends with me in the car, one American and one Thai, both visiting from Thailand. […]

The Minister of Transportation and Public Works, Darío Herrera, says that the current poor condition of Ecuadorian roads is from the lack of preventive maintenance in past governments.

The new Law establishes the creation of specialized units in the Prosecutor’s Office and outlines comprehensive reparation and restitution to the victims of these practices.

He spoke about alias Jr, the judicial function, and the communication law among others

The proposals were delivered at the meeting of the Commission of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization.

Huge quantities of drugs seized in Ecuador are presenting the country with an unlikely new construction material: cocaine.

“A message sent from my new adventure. I couldn’t let your Birthday Day go by without sending you a message. Enjoy your day – Be Safe Go Well, Mabubu from beyond!! Enjoy the game tomorrow, I can still hear you shouting :)” This was the text message I received from my best friend Joe at […]

The newly elected mayor of Guayaquil says that there is less money in the city accounts then needed to pay past debts. He also warned that contractors and vendors should not believe people claiming to be operating on his behalf. The mayor-elect of Guayaquil, Aquiles Álvarez, is concerned about the financial situation of the Municipality, […]

The executive president of the National Chamber of Aquaculture, José Antonio Camposano, comments on the prospects of the shrimp sector for 2023. The shrimp sector is especially interested in the trade agreement that is being negotiated with South Korea, a country to which they currently pay a 20% tariff. The statistics of the Central Bank […]

‘Gato’ wove a web of drug trafficking throughout Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico and Europe. Wilder Emilio Sánchez Farfán, alias ‘Gato,’ was arrested in Pasto, Colombia. Simultaneously, several related raids were carried out in Ecuador. Here, police raided several properties where ‘Gato’ resided from time to time. In one of these raids, in a property in Samborondón, […]

Investment banks JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley warned that the results of the sectional voting weakened the government of Guillermo Lasso. The results of the sectional elections in Ecuador and the 2023 referendum are fueling fears in international markets of an early end of the Guillermo Lasso mandate. Two US investment banks, JP Morgan and […]

In 2022, tax collection in Azuay increased by 21% compared to the previous year. It was also up 27% from 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Tax collection in Azuay increased by 21% in 2022, compared to what was collected in 2021. The province contributed $888.7 million, according to figures published by the Internal […]

The president called on the entire political leadership of the country to “build a great deal.” Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso ended the silence he’s been observing since the end of the elections held this past Sunday, and spoke on Monday night about the official data, which up to now reflects that none of the eight […]

A vaccination plan for poultry against avian influenza will begin in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Pichincha. Vaccination against avian influenza (or HPAI) will begin in the next eight weeks, reported the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Bernardo Manzano. During an initial phase, more than two million birds will be immunized in the […]

“The lunatics have taken over the asylum.” Richard A. Rowland, who was the head of Metro Pictures, first used this expression in 1919 when the famous silent-movie stars Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and director D.W. Griffith opened the movie company United Artists, to protect their work and control their careers. United Artists went […]

Cuenca has needed a second wastewater treatment plant since 2015. Although it has financing, the tender has been on hold for 19 months. The tender for a new wastewater treatment plant in Cuenca has been on hold for 19 months. This process began in June 2021, but the Telecommunications, Potable Water and Sewerage Company (Etapa), […]

According to the Government, illegal mining is growing because it receives more and more money from drug trafficking, which is why it has been declared a threat to national security. There are illegal mining camps in 17 of the 24 provinces of the Coast, Sierra and in the Amazon of Ecuador, according to the Agency […]

In 2022, 19,601 companies were created, that is, 19% more than in 2021, according to the Superintendency of Companies. In 2022, a total of 19,601 companies were incorporated in Ecuador, which represents a growth of 18.7% compared to 2021. This is reflected in the statistics of the Superintendence of Companies, Securities and Insurance. The percentage […]

The largest private money investments in Cuenca since the start of the pandemic have come from three groups: Corporación Favorita, Grupo Ortiz and the Conorque company. One of the most important is the construction of a Megamaxi, the first in the city. Three economic groups have invested in Cuenca in the last five years to […]

Cuenca unemployment falls, while Quito has the largest number of people without work.  In the fourth quarter of 2022, Cuenca unemployment—at 3.9 %—fell more than anywhere else in the country. This represents a decrease of 2.7 percentage points compared to the last quarter of 2021. Cuenca has the second the lowest number of unemployed citizens […]

Ecuador has experienced a rise in risky migration. Migrants are taken advantage of by trafficking mafias, and in many cases, there are no sentences against the coyoteros. In 2021 and 2022, the Ecuadorian Prosecutor’s Office registered 286 investigations for migrant smuggling. Roughly 80% of those cases are still in the early investigation stage and there […]

“You like me, you really, really like me!” If you ask, most people who remember her will tell you that Sally Field said this in her second Academy Award speech, after winning Best Actress for Places in the Heart. But they would be wrong. What she actually said was, “I haven’t had an orthodox career, […]

After the unification of his prison sentences, former Vice President Jorge Glas is close to reaching definitive pre-release. As of last Friday, January 26th, former Vice President Jorge Glas has only one sentence to serve in the Ecuadorian justice system. Judge Melissa Muñoz gave way to the unification of his prior sentences, as requested by […]

Mobility is one of the issues that most worries Cuencanos. The next mayor has the challenge of reducing traffic chaos and establishing an integrated transport system with the tram as the central axis. Mobility is one of the top priorities of the nine candidates for Mayor of Cuenca. All agree on the need to develop […]

For those of you who have read my column for a few years or more (hard to believe I’ve been writing it for over 6 years), you know how I used to feel about all the anger and hatred spewed out in response to some of the things I wrote. The threats, the crazy comments […]

Sedan-type vehicles are losing market share to SUVs offering more room and models.

Free trade agreements and the economic recovery after the pandemic are some of the factors that will influence foreign trade this year.

The regulations, which are already in force, promote equal pay between men and women in companies and shared maternity leave.

With its own coastal waters depleted, China has built a global fishing operation unmatched by any other country.

The ANT issued a regulation on the requirements for pets and other assistance animals to travel with their owners on public transport. One of the obligations is that they have an identification collar.

The head of the Special Commission tasked with proposing reforms to the IESS pension system discusses the needed contributions of the State, affiliates and employers. The time to make the reforms required to give sustainability to the pension system of the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) is running out. This according to Augusto de la […]

The Minister of Finance, Pablo Arosemena, confirmed that the State will issue blue bonds in 2023. The operation will allow the expansion of the Galapagos marine reserve. According to the Minister of Finance, Pablo Arosemena, the Government will follow thru this year on its promise to issue blue bonds to finance the expansion of the […]

Remittances are a liquidity option for Ecuadorian households, which use these resources to pay for basic services. The remittances that Ecuador receives from citizens working abroad totaled $4.468 billion in 2022, according to the forecast of the World Bank. This represents 3.87% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This figure is higher than tourism, which […]

On our drive back from Cuenca this week, it became clear to my wife and I that elections were coming up in February. Not because we read about them. Or because we knew when elections occur (like we do in the US). It was because of all the posters, banners, signs and other advertising that […]

State planning for this year includes the rehabilitation of two roads that connect Azuay with the country, and a public-private alliance that is being sought to build a new Cuenca-Guayaquil highway. Authorities and unions of Azuay hope that at least three of the road projects that are pending in the province will be completed this […]

Carlos Espinosa and Elizabeth Gusmán were part of a team of hundreds of researchers that determined the negative impact of grazing in drylands. The results of the study were published in the journal Science. For the first time, hundreds of scientists evaluated the impact of grazing in arid and semi-arid areas of the planet. Two […]