Iberia Airlines, Spain’s largest corporation, has signed an agreement with Pro Ecuador, the government agency that promotes foreign trade. The agreement seeks to strengthen export capacity of small and medium companies by providing better pricing for business travel benefiting over 8,400 micro, small and medium companies (also known as PYMES). This will include discounts and […]
Expansion of the 12 de Abril market is almost completed
The renovations of the 12 de Abril market is close to completion, according to Manolo Cardenas, director of municipal markets. “We are 70 percent completed now and expect the entire construction process is done by next August,” he says. Currently, there are 390 merchants in the market and the new construction will allow for 550. […]
French development agency contributes $13 million for community projects
The French Development Agency (FDA) is contributing about $13 million to a project to study community infrastructure needs in Ecuador. The non-refundable allocation was delivered last week in Quito. The Ecuadorian Development Bank (BDE) received the 10-million Euro allocation from the FDA on February 14. The funds will be administered by a special unit of […]
Ecuador and Colombia sign drug control and immigration agreements and guarantee health care too
Although the focus of last week’s meeting between Ecuador and Colombia was on controlling illegal drug trafficking near the border and dealing with the flood of immigrants from Venezuela, it also delivered good news to travelers. One of the agreements signed Friday, February 16 guarantees free emergency medical care for residents of Ecuador and Colombia […]
‘Classes’ of Cuenca expats: How those who arrive together stick together
By Sylvan Hardy The large influx of foreigners to Cuenca has turned this Andean city into a world-class laboratory experiment for a major “amenities migration” during the past decade. In the early years, it was overwhelmingly retirees from the U.S. and Canada arriving in town. While the gringos continue to predominate, today we are seeing […]
Getting a Driver’s License in Ecuador: How do I and/or should I?
As a new resident of Ecuador, the decision of whether to obtain one’s Ecuador Driver License is not something to be taken lightly. It is an important consideration that needs to be reflected upon by each and every expatriate as they begin their new life in Ecuador. For some expatriates (namely those who plan to […]
Update on electronic cigarettes: Health strategy or smoke screen?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Tobacco is the only legal drug that kills many of its users when used exactly as intended by manufacturers.” In the most recent 2017 update, the WHO writes that: Tobacco kills up to half of its users Tobacco kills more than 7 million people yearly: 6 million from direct tobacco […]
Cuenca is a musical city
Within a five block radius of my home there are two saddlers, at least three cabinetmakers, a couple tailors, a few jewelers, a thriving farmers market, more bakeries than I can count and twice as many restaurants. People are busy cobbling shoes, repairing refrigerators and upgrading computers. A shop up the street sells artisan crafts […]
It’s time for Cuenca’s famous Easter soup
Editor’s note: Fanesca is the traditional Easter soup served throughout Latin America during Holy Week and many consider Cuenca’s version of it to be exceptional. It is considered so good, in fact, that it was the subject of a cover story in New Yorker magazine in 2005. By David Morrill It’s a busy time of […]
New Immigration Law in Ecuador (a.k.a. EcuadorHuman Mobility Law): Here’s What you Need to Know
The new immigration law, adopted in 2017, the “Ley de Movilidad Humana”, is currently in full force. It replaces the previous law and was enacted to simplify the process. Whether that goal has been achieved or not remains to be seen. Here are the law’s key components. Ecuador Tourist Visas (Ecuador Visitor Visas): Ecuador’s new […]
Old IESS hospital will become Institute for Health Research and Innovation
The University of Cuenca is looking for ways to finance remodeling of Cuenca’s old IESS hospital, creating a new research facility managed by the school. It is estimated the project will cost approximately five million dollars. The university is in talks with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) to acquire the funds. The building, located on […]
Mujeres con Exito III: A place to start again
“The laundromat, coffee house, and catering services are jobs women have always done. Before, it was a source of shame and discrimination. Now it is a source of pride and autonomy,” said Marlene Villavicencio, Mujeres con Exito director. Seven of 10 women in the city are victims of abuse, according to the Statistics and Census […]
Cuenca to remove all existing mining concessions in the canton
The Cuenca municipal council has hired mining law specialist Pablo Piedra to challenge the federal government’s metal mining concessions in the canton. According to official numbers, the concessions cover over 16,000 hectares in the Loma Larga, Río Blanco, and Ruta del Cobre parishes. Several mining companies have requested new permits from the Ministry of Mining, […]
Tres de Noviembre market: a new tourist attraction
A new initiative by the city of Cuenca will include the Tres de Noviembre Market in the tourist routes of El Centro. The Tourism for Cuenca foundation and Municipal Office for Markets added the mercado as another option for tourists to enjoy local gastronomy and traditional products. “This initiative wants to increase the sales levels in […]
Last days to get your bus card
As of 1 April 2018, use of the bus card, Movilizate, will be mandatory in Cuenca, and users will no longer be able to pay bus fare in cash. The card is being distributed for free to students, people older than 65 years old, and people with any disability rated higher than 30%. People in […]
My mother’s big decision
My mother’s moving soon. Before my next column. So I need to say what I need to say here this week. I’m proud of her. Very proud. She’s been struggling for the last couple of years since my father died. They had been together for over 50 years and even though he hadn’t been healthy […]
Government pledges more assistance for earthquake relief, reorganizes committee
The federal government has announced that the earthquake-stricken areas of Esmeraldas and Manabi provinces would receive additional financial relief in 2018. The new funding, which will amount to $480 million, was announced by Maria Alejandra Vicuña, recently appointed by President Lenin Moreno to head up new relief efforts. Vicuña was appointed president of the earthquake […]
Law gives funding boost to Amazon provinces
Ecuador’s National Assembly has unanimously passed legislation to provide special benefits to the country’s Amazon region. The Ley Organica de la Circunscripcion Territorial Especial Amazonica was passed March 13 and sent to President Lenin Moreno for his signature. According to its sponsors, the law is aimed at providing relief to a region that has long […]
Is bitter better? What makes bitter foods more healthful for you?
As Dr. Andrew Weil, medical doctor and integrative physician says, “America is still probably the most sugar-philic and bitter phobic culture the world has ever known.” The Standard American Diet (SAD Diet) consists mostly of bland foods, red and processed meats, refined and processed white carbs, with a minimum of fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, […]
Japanese flu medication and ‘No Excuses’ shingles vaccine
The 2018 flu season is still hitting North Americans hard. At least 22 children died from the virus between Feb. 4 and Feb. 10, bringing the total as of Feb. 26 to 85, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They report “during week 7 (Feb. 11-17) influenza activity remained elevated in the […]
News from San Sebastian Plaza: Goodbye to Casa Azul, hello to the Little Taco Joint
There is bad news and good news on Cuenca’s San Sebastian Plaza. Fortunately, the bad news is brief and the good news goes long into the night. Casa Azul Galeria Cafe has closed. I understand the closure will be brief, the vibe will be much the same when it reopens, and that the new owners are […]
How I learned about Cuenca
There is something endearing about seeing eight-year-old boys all dressed up in their Sunday best for church. Unlike little girls who tip the cuteness scale almost sideways, boys seem to be competing whether they or their clothes will grow up first. The kid almost always wins. The shirt is a little too large — he […]
Ecuador to produce cleaner diesel fuel, which means less urban pollution
Ecuador is cleaning up its diesel fuel. According to Ecuador Minister of Hydrocarbons, Carlos Pérez, when upgrades to the Esmeraldas refinery are completed in July, the diesel produced at the facility will have a particulate count of 50 to 60 pollutants per million, down from the current 120, and 350 two years ago. “We will […]
Cuenca performance of Orff’s Carmina Burana is a feast for the eyes
“O Fortuna, like the moon you are ever changeable, ever waxing, ever waning . . .” These are the opening words to the popular cantata “Carmina Burana,” written by German composer Carl Orff (1895 – 1982), which premiered in 1937, and was performed on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in Cuenca’s Carlos Cueva Tamariz Theater. Each […]
Ecuadorians request more than 250,000 U.S. visas
Andrew Sherr, the U.S. Consul to the Guayaquil, says that 250,000 visa requests from Ecuadorians who wish to visit the U.S have been processed within the last year. There were 9,000 migration visas requested. “The legal migration from Ecuador to the U.S. has decreased in the last years, although we don’t keep an official tally,” […]
BanEcuador offer credits to those affected by the Tranvia Works
People adversely affected by Tranvia construction delays can apply for a loan of up to $ 20k in credit through BanEcuador. Approximately 2.000 people are eligible. The loan is based on a five-year note with the possibility of an additional grace period of one year. The credit line will have an interest rate of 9,76%. […]
Short-term rentals are on the increase in Cuenca
More and more Cuencanos are offering short-term rentals, from rooms to entire houses, to foreigners at an average cost per night of 12 dollars. Offered through websites such as Airbnb, most of the rentals include Wi-Fi, a kitchen, washer and dryer, and even parking space. Most hosts do not allow smoking nor pets in their […]
New Airline to start operations at the Cuenca airport
Aereo Regional, a Guayaquil based airline, will start operating this month in the Cuenca’s Mariscal La Mar Airport. The airline will have two daily flights, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning flight will depart from Cuenca at 6 a.m., arriving at Mariscal Sucre Airport (Quito), at 7 a.m. The flight will […]
I’m Just Sayin: Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?
The other morning we were coming back from Yunguilla quite early; we had three dogs to bring to the vet. Two to be spayed and one because we couldn’t keep her out of our sight…she was in heat (and still is)! Anyway, because the two getting fixed had early surgery, we were up and out […]
It’s the government vs. the government in tv station closure dispute
The government has ordered the public broadcasting company Gamavision to cease operations but the tv station’s largest stocker, government-owned Medios Publicos EP, and 220 employees are fighting the decision. Ecuador’s Superintendencia de Compañias, Valores, y Seguros (SUPERCIA) issued the shut-down order February 22, citing 15 reasons for its decision. Camilo Valdivieso, a SUPERCIA director, has […]