Anger mounts over zoning reforms as Mayor Zamora walks back controversial regulation. A growing wave of rural unrest is challenging the administration of Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora, as communities from the city’s outlying parishes demand the repeal of a series of ordinances they say threaten their land rights and livelihoods. On Tuesday, May 27th, demonstrators […]

I’m back from the U.S., after nearly four weeks of closing out my mother’s accounts, her home, and, in many ways, her life. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Yes, she was 82 and not in good health. But I didn’t expect to lose her—not yet. I let myself believe she’d […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Noboa begins term vowing reform, stability, and a break from Ecuador’s recent crises in his inauguration speech. Standing before the National Assembly on the anniversary of Ecuador’s independence-defining Battle of Pichincha, President Daniel Noboa used the occasion of his inauguration to signal a definitive break from the nation’s recent turmoil and to lay out his […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

New law aims to dismantle entrenched corruption and modernize $8 billion state contracting system. President Daniel Noboa submitted his second urgent economic reform bill to the National Assembly on May 27th, seeking to overhaul Ecuador’s outdated and corruption-prone public procurement system. The legislation, titled the Organic Law for Innovation and Strengthening of Public Management, is […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Superintendency of Banks calls for new laws, better technology, and public awareness to fight underground financial fraud. Ecuador is facing an alarming surge in illegal financial institutions, with social media acting as a primary catalyst for their rapid spread. In just the first five months of 2025, authorities have uncovered 32 new unlicensed operations—adding to […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Homicide numbers spike in early 2025, with Guayas province at the epicenter of an escalating crisis. Ecuador’s battle against organized crime took a grim turn in the first four months of 2025, with homicides surging by over 58% compared to the same period last year. The Ministry of the Interior reports that 3,087 people were […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.