In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, public institutions have varied in their schedules and forms of care. Below, is a list of public entities with high user demand and the detail of their current form of care in...
We just played three-card Monte
I’m at a loss. I thought that Ecuador’s corruption had been pretty well laid bare over the last 4 years and that much of what had been a tarnished image, had been polished to at least a dull shine. I seem to be wrong. Corruption is the only reason I can find in the decision […]
UPDATES 02/14/2021
Update to: Galápagos Islands activate plans to prevent the entry of novel coronavirus to the archipelago Published: Volume 4, Issue 33 Four people arrested for trying to travel to Galapagos with fake COVID-19 tests Four people who intended to travel to the Galapagos Islands were apprehended by police after inconsistencies were found in the COVID-19 […]
Number of new COVID-19 deaths rises dramatically
Tracking the spread and outcome of the coronavirus in Ecuador: Updated for Wednesday, February 17, 2021 Last week we expressed our concerns that the post-election numbers would rise and that we would see more deaths in the coming weeks. Those fears have started to be realized. Though we are only in the beginning of the […]
Remigio Crespo has slowly evolved into an informal land terminal
According to the latest 2019 property registry of the Municipality of Cuenca, there are 16 businesses that offer interprovincial passenger van transport on Avenida Remigio Crespo. Some of these companies even offer transportation service between provinces in private vehicles, and also, the transfer of parcels to different parts of the country. According to the Municipality’s […]
Only half of Ecuador’s family businesses have a generational succession plan
During the last year, several Ecuadorian family businesses have registered important changes in their management structure. Changes that have begun to mark generational changes in these companies. Some of these transitions have been generated in the midst of the pandemic due to the death of its founders, head of the board or due to a succession that has […]
Former President Gustavo Noboa, who brought dollarization to Ecuador dies in US hospital at ag 83
Former President of Ecuador, Gustavo Noboa Bejerano, died Tuesday after brain surgery carried out in the United States. Noboa was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami (United States), where he had undergone surgery on February 9 for a meningioma tumor in his brain. Diego Noboa, son of the ex-president, confirmed a day after the surgery […]
ECB will may be able to cover 100% of deposits by 2026
Last week, the Legislative Administration Council (CAL) of the Assembly sent the bill for the Defense of Dollarization back to the President because it had constitutional and legal errors. The corrected version of the text will be back in the hands of the Assembly...
CNE cancels election recount and Perez says “Don’t even dream that we are going to support Lasso”
In a late session yesterday, the National Electoral Council (CNE) cancelled the vote recount that had been agreed to between the two second place finishers in the February 6th election, and CNE President Diane Atamaint. The planned recount was to have started on...
Cuenca overwhelmingly votes YES on referendum to stop new mining in water zones
The “YES” vote has triumphed in the Popular Consultation held in Cuenca, according to preliminary data from the CNE. The ban on large-scale mining activities got an 80% approval. According to the results of surveys carried out previously by the University of Cuenca, more than 83% of the population of Cuenca maintained the intention to […]
Yaku you say?
Like many people in Ecuador, I woke up a little surprised on Monday to find that Yaku Perez was actually leading Guillermo Lasso for the second position in Ecuador’s presidential election that took place on Sunday. Both the polls, and common sense, pointed to Lasso taking the second spot. Afterall, he came within a handful […]
UPDATES 2/10/21
Update to: Contentious Electoral Court orders CNE to qualify Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz’s candidacy Published: Volume 5, Issue 10 Criminal proceedings against Abdalá Bucaram will proceed when vote tally is announced With most of the votes counted from the recent election, it has become pretty clear that former president of the Republic, Abdalá Bucaram, won’t have […]
Number of new COVID-19 deaths falls significantly, while testing program stumbles again
Tracking the spread and outcome of the coronavirus in Ecuador: Updated for Tuesday, FEBRUARY 9, 2021 The numbers this week show signs of improvement, even though the rates of sampling and testing have fallen again. The rate of new cases is lower again for the second...
The economic plans of Andrés Arauz, Yaku Pérez and Guillermo Lasso
With Andrés Arauz waiting to find out who he will be opposing in the second round of presidential elections in April—either Yaku Pérez or Guillermo Lasso—it’s a good time to review what each candidate has presented as their economic plan to lift Ecuador out of its current financial crisis. During the electoral campaign, Arauz, Pérez and […]
IMF is “open” to adjusting its agreement with Ecuador’s next president
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is "open" to adjusting the program with Ecuador with the new president emerging from the ballot, "if the government so wishes," the director of the Western Hemisphere Department of the Fund, Alejandro Werner, said on Monday. "The...
Ecuador’s next President comes down to three candidates
While the country awaits the results of the recounts and review of suspended votes, one thing is clear: one of three people will be the next President of Ecuador. One candidate who is assured to be in April 11th’s second-round election is Andrés Arauz, Sunday’s top vote getter. He will oppose either Yaku Pérez or […]
Ecuador still in shock as election results continue to be tallied
Ecuador awoke to a shock on Monday as the results of its presidential election showed that all the polls going into the vote were off by a wide margin. Up until the first vote was cast on Sunday, all the most recent polls showed that Andrés Arauz, the correísmo candidate for the Unes alliance and […]
SPECIAL ELECTION EDITION
Ecuador heads to the polls this week to elect its next President (and Vice president and some Assembly members), in what is likely to be an historic outcome, moving the country either slightly to the right or firmly back into the far left that ruled during Rafael...
“Will you keep the subsidies or free up fuel and gas prices?”
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. Most of the candidates for the Presidency of the Republic agree that the subsidy for gas for domestic use should be maintained, although some speak of targeting or a partial elimination of the rest of fuels. The price of […]
“Will you keep the contribution to the retirement pensions in IESS at 40%?
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. In 2015, the Law for Labor Justice came into force – which reached the Assembly as an initiative of the Rafael Correa government – that eliminated the obligation for the State to contribute 40% of the retirement pensions granted […]
“Will you comply with the agreement signed with the IMF?”
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. Last September Ecuador signed a financial agreement with the Monetary Fund for $6.5 billion in financing for 27 months. Almost all the candidates said that they will renegotiate the agreement that the Lenín Moreno government signed with the International […]
“What do you propose in terms of financial resources, personnel and legislation to overcome the problem of insecurity (“crime”) in the country?”
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. During 2020, a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, violence in the country grew, as murders went from 875 (in 2019) to 986, that is, they rose 13%; and femicides also increased by 13% compared to […]
“What actions will you take so that the health system covers all medical care?
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. Building more hospitals, giving more budget or managing a comprehensive health network that includes not only the State, but the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS) and other institutions are part of the presidential proposals. Each of the 16 […]
“How will you face the COVID-19 pandemic? “
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. Thru Sunday, Ecuador registered 250,828 people infected with COVID-19 and 14,859 deaths (between confirmed and probable cases), according to the daily report of the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE). The arrival of the pandemic in the country and the […]
“How will the weight of public debt decrease?
Here are the responses to that question from the 16 candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador. The 16 candidates for the Presidency of the Republic have different visions to face one of the great problems of the country. Each of them was asked: “How will you reduce the weight of debt in your budget? How will […]
Ecuador Verifica fact checks more Presidential campaign claims
Over the last two months, we’ve run articles from Ecuador Verifica, an initiative in the country that brings together 14 media, 9 civil society organizations and 7 universities. Its objectives are to combat misinformation, verify the veracity of the speeches of the candidates (and their supporters or detractors) for the 2021 Ecuadorian election, and to develop […]
You did okay Lenin
Well, Ecuador elects a new president this Sunday. But the odds are that no candidate will get enough votes in the first round for outright victory (there are 16 candidates!). So, there will be a run-off in April. Oddsmakers say it will likely be between Rafael...
Mild Improvement In Case Numbers But Vaccine Delivery Date Still In Question
Tracking the spread and outcome of the coronavirus in Ecuador: Updated for Tuesday, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 The numbers we presented over the last two weeks were alarming, not only for the shear increase in cases and deaths, but also because of how quickly things changed from three weeks ago. Fortunately, this week, things have improved […]
20 Beautiful Hidden Beaches of Ecuador
Ecuador has paradise to be found in all four regions of the country, although not always well known. On the coast, our country has been privileged with beautiful beaches and many of them go unnoticed, in some cases because they are a bit remote or their access is more complex, although they are definitely worth visiting. […]
More than 9,000 olive ridley sea turtles born in Esmeraldas
Photo gallery at the end of this article More than 9,000 olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) have been born on one of Ecuador's beaches in the course of recent months, in an explosion of life in the province of Esmeraldas under the protection of the Ministry...