The National Secretariat of Education, Science and Technology (Senecyt) launched a call for project proposals, in order to give non-refundable grants for the selected projects. The name of the program is Innovacyt. It will be open until September 15 of this year. Close to $3 million is destined to boost innovating ideas throughout the country. […]

On July 4th, the Escuela Politecnica Nacional (EPN) presented a campaign called ‘Ecuador has a Planet.’ This is an initiative to have the Ecuadorian people propose and vote to name a planet and a star in the Universe. This program was assigned by the International Astronomical Union. The head of the Quito Astronomic Observatory, Ericson […]

This week in The Cuenca Dispatch there are a few stories about the influx of Venezuelan immigrants, their inability to get the healthcare promised them and the rise of children begging in the streets. It’s a sad situation that has a complexity behind it that goes much deeper than saying these people should get jobs. […]

Twelve surgical procedures were carried out last weekend at the Jose Carrasco Arteaga Hospital of the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS). These surgical operations are part of the “Medical Taskforce: Active Surgery” program, which started June 29th and will go on for four more weekends. The taskforce began with patients that require hip, knee a […]

Although the Central Bank estimated back in February a growth in Ecuador’s GDP of at least 1.4% for the end of this year, it has recalculated its forecast, throwing out a 0.2% expected growth. However, around 30 economic activities are showing signs of improvement in their commercial value. “It’s always good when an economic sector […]

The Historic Center of Cuenca has several characteristics and suitable conditions to be pedestrianized by its physical configuration. The commercial, tourist and architectural activities that are concentrated in this emblematic area of ​​the city, added to the intense vehicular traffic, invite you to imagine this space closed to cars and used only by pedestrians. But is that feasible? Elina Ávila, member […]

After the first month of the new city government’s austerity program, the payroll of the Municipality went from 25 to 14 directors and from 40 to 29 coordinators, representing a reduction of $140,000 in salaries; a 10 percent decrease in wage expenses. The reduction of personnel mainly affected high and middle management. The only case in […]

The Prosecutor’s Office filed a request with the Interpol Office in Quito, asking that they locate Rafael Correa‘s new residence. The Ecuadorian Government sent emissaries from the consulate in Belgium to the former president to request a formal declaration over the “Arroz Verde” (Green Rice) case. In this case, 4 former public officials are being […]

Since the Venezuelan immigration crisis began almost 4 years ago, the number of Venezuelan immigrants in Ecuador has grown drastically. This surge in numbers is requiring the Ecuadorian public health system to adapt to the necessities of this new demographic. It’s important to take into account that the Ecuadorian constitution guarantees equal rights to non-residents, […]

Last weekend, Lenin Moreno announced the beginning of the program “Magical Towns”, which seeks to bring more tourism to certain towns in Ecuador that could offer particular cultural and/or geographic characteristics. This new project is being developed with the help from technicians from the Secretariat of Tourism of Mexico, where this type of project was […]

Around 50 students exhibited 20 different science projects—representing schools from all around the Amazonian and Sierra region of Ecuador—at the National School Science Project Fair held in Cuenca on June 26th. There were projects ranging from products for environmental protection, food products without use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers, all the way to robot prototypes, […]

Think your skin is safe in Cuenca? Well actually, Cuenca ranks as the city with the third highest incidence of skin cancer in Ecuador, after Quito and Loja.  Many local experts recommend the use of sunblock to avoid excessive damage from the sun when outside. Many Cuencano citizens are quite careless when out in the […]

The House of Culture (Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana) has two more offices working around Azuay, in Gualaceo and Nabon. This institution organizes cultural and art activities for the communities they serve. Everything from theater, to paint workshops, dance classes and more. The Gualaceo branch has been open since last year; this year the Nabon […]

The Austro Electrical Company ELECTAUSTRO S.A. has been trying to complete a new hydroelectric plant in the Soldados-Yanuncay region since 2004, when topographical studies began. Since that time, they have faced a lot of resistance from activists from different regions of the country that oppose the project. Activists coming from various delegations of Azuay, Bolivar, […]

Even before many of us chose Cuenca, and Ecuador in general, as our new home, we most likely had learned during some part of our school lives that the health of Planet Earth is dependent on the health of the South American rainforests, which create and maintain necessary oxygen in our planet’s atmosphere. Closer to […]

“It’s not just stuff! No, it’s not just stuff, it’s junk!” That is always an debate that Codie and I have when she wants to keep something that I think is junk and that she thinks has some value to it. Simply put, she saves everything with the idea that she may need it someday, […]

The National Anticorruption Commission says that in IESS there were surcharges on medical supplies that were acquired in the period from April to December 2018. Five cases of acquisition of medicines and medical supplies with surcharge were presented yesterday to the president of the Board of IESS, Paúl Granda. The Commission investigated the period from April […]

Last Friday, June 21st, rescue institutions were alerted about a possible bomb in a building located near the intersection of Calle Larga and Borrero streets. After firefighters searched the building, Cuenca Fire Chief Cuenca, Jorge Patricio Lucero, confirmed that it ws a false call. The incident occurred around 09:00, after an anonymous call about a supposed […]

A study starts this week to assess the pertinence of interparroquial and intercantonal bus stops in and around the city. This was announced by Guilherme Chalhoub, municipal director of Mobility Management, after a complaint from the Chamber of Transportation of Cuenca for the placement of an interparroquial bus stop next to the urban buses. “This generates […]

The provincial government of Azuay is planning work on 47 roads between now and the end of the year that includes ballast maintenance and asphalt improvement. In total, they will be 624 kilometers of road work completed. The road plan was presented Monday by the prefect Yaku Pérez and the provincial government road director, Gonzalo Clavijo. […]

The process of buying products by bulk (weighted) is not new in Cuenca. However, it is becoming more and more common for customers to bring their own reusable containers. Sometimes, stores will also provide their own reusable bags or containers, hoping that the customer will come again with it in order to make his or […]

In the province of Chimborazo, in the Pallaguchi Huanca town, a man died while walking with a group of friends through the mountainous region. One of his friends stated that they were crossing the mountains to get to the ‘toros bravos’ (bull fights), an event that was being held nearby. The death occurred at around […]

The Galapagos reserve has now been broadened to 14.6 million hectares, making it one of the biggest marine-life preservation areas in the world. The Biosphere Reservation created in 1984 originally included an area of about 772 ,000 hectares of land. The International Council for Coordination of the “Man and the Biosphere Program,“ approved this enlargement. […]

Negotiations have begun in Quito for 15 Chilean representatives and Ecuadorian government authorities and other experts, in order to bring together a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations. Chile and Ecuador are already big commercial partners. In fact, there is already a trade agreement between the two countries called Economic Complementation Agreement (ACE). […]

There have been heavy rains in the Tungurahua, Cotopaxi and Pastaza provinces which have caused rockslides and landslides over roads, as well as damages to houses and other infrastructure. For now, the Directorate of Tourism of Baños de Agua Santa (in Tungurahua) and the Emergency Operations Committee decided on June 21st to suspend recreational activities. […]

A strong social complaint over various conflicting intersections around the city has brought the attention of Guilherme Chalhoub, head of the Chief Office of Mobility Management. Many of these intersections require the presence of transit officers to handle the traffic during rush hours. “Generally, there are at least two accidents a month,” comments Marco Gonzales, […]

Santiago Cuesta, member of the Delegated Management Committee was interviewed over the decisions made by this board over the companies to be given in concession, those to be sold and those that will remain in the hands of the state. The committee required all government companies to create reports over their balances in order to […]

According to ETAPA EP (Telecommunications, Water Service and Sewage Municipal Company), it’s been over thirty years since the last recording of such low temperatures have occurred around Cuenca. This past week’s nighttime temperatures were well below 45° F. Paul Vintimilla, the climate analyst from ETAPA EP assures the cold wave will continue for at least […]