One of the more frustrating questions expats are faced with when they move to Ecuador is, “What exactly do I need to do about health insurance?” Whether they have chosen to maintain their health insurance in their home country, or have decided to cancel it and take out private insurance, or government backed insurance here […]

In 2020, the Municipality of Cuenca hopes to increase bicycle users through the sustainable transport system “Public Bike.” Since the beginning of the project, the number of trips on this means of transport in Cuenca grew by 14 percent. From the inception of the program, 37,685 trips have been recorded. That’s up 14% since the […]

Drivers who go over the posted 50 kilometers per hour speed limit on Ricardo Durán Avenue, known as the road to Baños, are going to be quite surprised; they’ll now be penalized with a fine of $120, for speeding. The fine began on Monday, once the Public Mobility, Transit and Transportation Company, (EMOV), announced that […]

The number of visitors to the Galápagos Islands decreased by 1.7% in 2019. The archipiélago received 271,238 tourists last year— 4,579 less than in 2018. From 2010 to 2019, the Galápagos has experienced falls in tourist arrivals in 3 years: 2012, 2016, 2019. The data correspond to all visitors who paid the entrance tax to […]

The last viral crisis that affected Ecuador considerably was due to the AH1N1 (oe “swine flu”) epidemic that started in May of 2009. This left a culture of how to be prepared for possible global infection conditions. Social factors, such as hygiene habits, may make it possible for Ecuador to avoid being a target for the […]

The national influenza vaccination campaign organized by the Ministry of Health and which plans to immunize about 4.5 million people in a state of vulnerability in Ecuador will last through February 28th. Andrés Guncay, an epidemiologist responsible for public health surveillance in Zone 6, said that influenza is present on a daily basis, so care […]

This past Monday, Juan Carlos Aguirre, former manager of EMOV, gave his resignation from the position he has been developing since the beginning of the administration of Mayor Pedro Palacios. Aguirre began his announcement with thanks to the 700 employees working at EMOV for “the commitment they demonstrated in recent months.” Throughout the press conference, […]

President Lenin Moreno was irritated on Monday, and criticized the indigenous movement for the lawsuit he will defend in international courts for excessive use of force during the violent protests last October, in which a dozen people died. “Few things break me down emotionally,” Moreno admitted in a message on television, in which, visibly upset, […]

In its second debate on the topic, this Tuesday the Cantonal Council of Cuenca approved the “Ordinance for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the Canton Cuenca.” Daniel Villavicencio, leader of the Society of Non-Seers of Azuay (SONVA), said that among the benefits for people with disabilities are tax exemptions, fees […]

The Municipality of Cuenca began employing new customer service hours last week, that also affect cultural and educational services units. The network of municipal museums, made up of the Museum of Modern Art, Casa Museo Remigio Crespo Toral, Economuseo Casa del Sombrero and Municipal Planetarium, will now be open Monday to Friday, from 08:45 to […]

With the construction of the tram, 1,180 traffic devices were installed in the city. Now these signals are causing large traffic jams during peak traffic hours. “A necessary evil,” says Felipe Cárdenas, one of many drivers being affected by the new systems. He says he feels it’s because of the large number of these devices […]

The silence, the tombstones and the mausoleums are what attracts the most attention in the Patrimonial Cemetery of Cuenca (EMUCE). The cemetery looks clean and the green areas are well trimmed. And if you approach and read the details on some of the gravestones, you’ll see and learn a lot. Most of the stones are […]

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Ecuador with a loan of $70 million to support the progress of a program to change the energy matrix in the country. This was reported on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 by the Ministry of Economy in a statement in which it stated that the loan has a […]

The Municipal Hospital for Women and Children of Cuenca, as part of its process of “renewal” has implemented five new specialties services: Rheumatology, Infectious Disease, Pulmonology, Hematology and Endocrinology. The expansion of the service portfolio was the outcome of a comparative study carried out on the total number of patients treated in the Municipal Health […]

So, if you’ve been reading my column for a while, you know that we have 8 dogs out on our property in Yunguilla. They were all street dogs we took in over the years and we love every one of them. Their personalities are so unique, like humans, and even their barks are distinct. At […]

The Febres building dating from 1883 is currently being used as a municipal parking lot, but the Municipality of Cuenca already has a plan for its restoration with an investment of $8 million. Works will begin this year with a hopeful completion in 2021. A façade that is falling apart and is laying on the ground […]

Abandonment of infrastructure, graffiti, low occupancy, dammed up water, garbage in the surroundings, and damage to children’s games are some of the problems that several parks in the city have that require urgent cleaning and maintenance. Walking through the sector of the Guataná park located in the UNE citadel, you find a sense of fear […]

In the canton Guachapala, the smallest in the province of Azuay, is the farm ‘El Romeral’, at 2,200 meters above sea level. The site, located on 30 hectares, is owned by the University of Cuenca and is used by the Faculty of Agronomy for the training of students. Students and teachers, together with farm workers, have […]

More and more airlines are migrating to a ticket pricing system with a basic fare that does not include luggage, food service, seat selection, or changes to travel dates. In theory, airline tickets are now cheaper. However, passenger protests persist in the overall treatment customers are receiving from airlines. In fact, in Ecuador, 489 formal complaints were […]

The second test of the ‘Supermanzanas’ took place this weekend as the measure faced both support and criticism from pedestrians and the commercial sector after the first test of the plan.  The ‘Supermanzana’ is the grouping of several blocks and in the center of Cuenca where a large area of El Centro will be open […]

Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health (MSP) clarified that as of Wednesday, coronavirus being reported in China has not circulated in Ecuador and that the State has taken preventive measures to prevent the migration of the virus to the country. Alfredo Olmedo, National Director of Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, confirmed in an interview […]

The housing deficit in Ecuador increases by 40,000 homes every year. The National Government is seeking to reduce this gap by granting financing options to those with a limited income. People with medium and low incomes will have access to housing loans with a preferential rate of 4.99% for a 25-year term. The mortgages will allow them to buy […]

I have been in Cuenca since August 2019. I ride my recumbent trike by the river trails and enjoy the cultural vibe of the city, riding the bus and the people. As I am 61 and a relative youngster, I don’t yet qualify yet the adulto mayor benefits.  But I am disabled due to a stroke and thought […]

Ecuador is famous for its vibrant woven textiles, especially from alpaca wool, which has an exquisite texture that gives extra lightness and warmth.  The alpacas from the Chimborazo region are known as the ‘Ladies of Chimborazo’ for their especially soft fur and elegance, and the textiles made by indigenous artisans in Otavalo and other areas […]

Today only, we are offering our one-of-a-kind, never publicly offered before, fully proven and sure to work guide, “How to Destroy a Democracy and Become an Autocratic Ruler in Less Than 4 Years,” for only $10! How can we do that you ask? Are we crazy you ask? Do we realize how cheap that is […]

The Anti-Corruption Secretariat announced the case of six cosmetic surgeons (two in Guayaquil and four in Quito) involved in the falsification of their specialist degrees. Dora Ordóñez, Anticorruption Secretary, explained that after several investigations, they were able to verify that the fourth level titles (these relate to specialization in a field of medicine) of these […]

El Cajas National Park is a national park in the highlands of Ecuador, just a mere 30 kilometers west of Cuenca. But it is a world away from the famous colonial city and is a place every visitor to Ecuador should experience. The park is quite large, with an area of 285.44 km2 (28,544 hectare or 110 square miles). […]