The new 12 de Abril market (Andrés Eloy Alfaro street) will be ready for Carnival. Its remodeling took a total turn, replacing a market that had more been there for than 30 years. The work started in July of 2017 with an orginal estimate of 12 months for its completion. But as often happens in […]

A new wholesale market, land terminals, plans to relocate the airport, parks and convention centers are among some of the proposals put forth by the candidates for the Mayor’s Office of Cuenca. How necessary are these works? Well, according to a study by the Inter-American Development Bank, some should be a priority. The study raises the […]

Every Friday from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM a new ‘’ Basin Book Club for Foreigners ‘’ happens in the Municipal Library ‘’Antonio Lloret Bastidas ,’’ located on Gran Colombia and Benigno Malo. Ecuadorain history, culture and local literature are some of the topics discussed.  Along the way, particpants learn a side of the Spanish […]

In the month of March a new public bicycle service will begin. This project is an alternative for those who are tired of using cars or the public transportation service. The price for its use will be $0.25. The company in charge of the manufacture of the bicycles assures that they are almost finished and […]

“Good weather for ducks.”  That’s what a customer used to say all the time when he came into the pharmacy I worked in when I was 16.  Not just on rainy days.  But every day.  He was most certainly mentally challenged and I was too young to really understand how deep his problem was. He […]

Following the recent murder of a pregnant Ecuadorian woman by her Venezuelan boyfriend, Ecuador has announced that a new requirement of an apostilled legal background check will be required from all Venezuelans who enter the country. Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner made the announcement two days after the murder of Diana Carolina, which occurred in front […]

Ecuador has rebuilt its relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the agency with which it hopes to reach a sustainable agreement over time and beneficial for both parties, said the Minister of Economy. Despite the rapprochement between the Government and the IMF, financing by the multilateral agency has not yet been finalized.  However, there […]

The glazed ends of this house in Ecuador, by local architect Emilio López, are larger than the building’s middle portion to make the most of ocean and forest views. Don Juan House is a two-storey residence perched atop a hill, which features a notable dip in its centre to give the impression of a bow-tie. […]

Corporation Favorita is investing two million dollars in the construction of new “SUPER AKí” supermarket at the corner of Rafael María Arízaga and Tarqui. One million dollars will be invested in the construction and another million will be spent for equipment, merchandise and personnel hiring, reports Álvaro Rotembach, regional manager of Corporación Favorita. So far, […]

An illegal road cut into the Cajas National Park has raised major concern and is leading to an investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor (COIP). According to The Ministry of the Environment (MAE), the damage was probably caused by residents of Patul, Baute, Chacanceo or other neighboring areas.   Residents from these villages have been […]

The glazed ends of this house in Ecuador, by local architect Emilio López, are larger than the building’s middle portion to make the most of ocean and forest views. Outdoor living is increasingly becoming a more and more important part of modern home design, and there are instances when it is the outdoor living and […]

When Tod and Mary Freeman moved to Salinas, Ecuador 7½ years ago, they just didn’t want to retire, walk the beach and socialize with other expats — the couple had a passion to somehow make a difference in other people’s lives. And, oh, what a difference they’ve made. Through collaboration with medical professionals, hospitals and […]

According to a recent report presented to the Municipality’s Finance Committee, the local government of Cuenca had over $137 million in outstanding debts to multiple banks and other creditors at the end of the third quarter in 2018. Among those creditors are: the Development Bank of Latin America, CAF (almost $52 million); the government of […]

Like many major cities in the world, Cuenca has been busy at work installing cameras throughout the city. According to, Alexandra Altamirano, coordinator of ECU 911 Austro, there are 248 cameras installed in Cuenca. When a person is a victim of theft, or when an incident occurs that requires the perpetrator to be identified, the […]

Jackie loves cognac. Her eyes glaze over as she talks about the complex aftertaste remaining after the tiniest sip which she enjoys while re-reading “Stiff” by Mary Roach. The sad fact is that this elixir is a bit over our budget here in Ecuador so Jackie has been deprived for several months … until now. […]

This week Attorney General, Ruth Palacios, asked the National Court of Justice to order “preventive detention” for Ecuador’s former Vice President María Alejandra Vicuña. The Prosecutor’s Office has accused Vicuña of “alleged participation in the crime of extortion, which she committed when she fulfilled the functions of Assemblyman,” said Palacios. The prosecutor has also asked […]

My client said, “What do you think of the 8-Hour Diet? I’ve heard it really works”. Everyone, it seems, has the “secret” to weight loss. Celebrities, doctors, celebrity doctors, sports stars. Or just two guys who’ve lost weight, and want to parlay their experience into a book, website, and products. Don’t forget the products. The […]

After a year and a half, 96 out of 132 merchants have begun returning to San Francisco Square in preparation of the January 29th inauguration of the space. Monday, several merchants began moving into their new locations that were assigned to them by the Economic Development Company (EDEC).  EDEC will be in charge of the […]

The free taxi app, Azutaxi, which offers services to request a taxi in the city, is being negatively affected in high traffic hours and on holidays. “On holidays as well as rainy days, the demand for taxi service in the city can double, becoming an unfavorable factor when a citizen needs the service,” says Jorge […]

A group of citizens took to the streets in the center of Cuenca to protest against the environmental tax, known as ‘green tax’, which taxes high-capacity vehicles. With signs saying, “Mi resisti al tiempo y me resistire a tu impuesto,” (I resisted time and I will resist your tax) and “Impuesto Injusto,” (Unjust Tax), protesters blocked […]

As I write this I’m sitting here still amazed at the events that have taken place in Venezuela today.  Juan Guaidó, the President of the National Assembly, has taken the oath to be the interim President of the country, claiming that the country’s Constitution gives him that right when the President has proven that he […]

The vehicle registration calendar begins in February, meaning it’s time for all vehicle owners to get ready for their new matricuar paperwork.  In preparation for that and to avoid problems, there are seven areas vehicle owners should be make sure are up to regulations before they have their car inspection done. “Going to a specialized […]

Baltasar Garzón, the lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, revealed this week that he presented an “urgent request” to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), based in Washington, DC, to order the United States to “disclose the charges you have filed in secret against my client.” In addition, Assagne’s legal team asked the IACHR […]

By 2030 Cuenca will have 740,000 inhabitants according to the projections of the National Institute of Statistics and Census, INEC. According to urban planning expert Augusto Pintos, this will cause the need, for housing, equipment and space for industry. However, excessive growth can affect the provision of food and environmental care. To avoid this, the […]

In a message recorded on video from Davos (Switzerland), President Lenin Moreno spread the official position of the Ecuadorian Government in front of the self – proclamation of Guaidó as chief executive, this Wednesday, January 23, 2019. Like Ecuador, the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Costa Rica and the United States announced […]

Padre Aguirre Street, between Juan Jaramillo and Sucre, will soon change to a pedestrian only venue according to Xavier Aguirre, director of Historical and Heritage Areas. This space was rehabilitated as part of the remodeling works of the Plaza San Francisco, inaugurated on January 29th. The merchants that are in this space will be relocated, […]

Our world is a crazy place. For the first time in history more people are at significant nutritional risk from over nutrition instead of malnutrition. But, in most industrialized countries we actually eat fewer calories than we did at the beginning of the 20th Century. How can that be? It’s because we’re eating quite differently […]

As of this past week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility began to deliver electronic visas to foreign citizens who decide to stay in Ecuador temporarily or permanently, in accordance with the provisions of the current law. While the Amazonian basin is most often touted for its biodiversity, there are also hundreds of […]

Situated in Ecuador‘s lush General Villamil region, this simple home takes full advantage of the bounteous climate with moveable wooden slats, to create an indoor-outdoor space perfect for city living. Stilts House is located in Villamil, Guayas province, Ecuador – an area that was named as the worlds second best climate by Unesco in 1982. […]

“Feel nature and live new experiences” is the proposal of the Rural Tourism Community Sayausí, which offers three packages of what they call “experiential tourism”. In a press trip, organized by the Municipal Tourism Foundation for Cuenca, some 20 people, including local journalists and representatives of tourism operators were part of the tour to learn […]