In his first press conference, Cuenca’s new mayor, Cristian Zamora, shared his plans regarding last minute hires by the previous administration, government funding for the tram and his signature issue, what he calls “the biggest robbery in the history of Cuenca.”...
Update to: Country’s covid-19 cases and deaths at lowest points in three years Published: Volume 7, Issue 22 Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the disease has claimed the lives of 67,527 people in Ecuador and infected over one million individuals. On May...
The government offers a “1,000-day bonus” program to help mother’s during pregnancy and for up to two years after the birth of their child, but making sure they register it is half the battle. The Ecuadorian government has implemented a new strategy to address the...
Update to: Ecuador added 24 new amphibian species in 2019 Published: Volume 4, Issue 23 The two new species of glass frogs were found at an altitude of 2,900 meters above sea level, in a small forest stream in La Enramada, in Azuay. Shortly after announcing the description of a lizard species, the National Institute […]
“We finally really did it…” “You maniacs!!!” “You blew it up!!” “Ahh, damn you!” “God damn you all to hell!” These words may sound familiar to you. They came to mind for me when I read that the National Assembly had re-elected Virgilio Saquicela as President of the body with 96 votes. What that meant […]
Update to: Quito Metro’s Commercial Operations to Start in Q4 2023 Published: Volume 7, Issue 28 The Quito Metro announced the suspension of its services as of May 11, 2023. The decision was made by the Metro de Quito Company, citing technical issues in various systems and subsystems. The operator responsible for the metro is […]
Guillermo Lasso’s future is in jeopardy following Virgilio Saquicela’s re-election as president of the Legislature with 96 votes. This outcome provides clues about what may happen in the impeachment trial against President Lasso starting on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. During the Sunday Plenary session, Virgilio Saquicela was re-elected to serve for two more years as […]
Beijing is a major financial backer for Ecuador despite US efforts to counter its influence. Ecuador and China have signed a free trade agreement, deepening ties between the country and the world’s second-biggest economy and frustrating US opposition to Beijing’s growing influence in the region. The deal would boost Ecuador’s non-oil exports over the next […]
Debt-for-nature deal will save the country over $1.1 billion and supply funding for conservation efforts in the Galápagos. Ecuador announced a record-setting deal last Tuesday designed to reduce its debt burden and free up hundreds of millions of dollars to fund marine conservation around the Galápagos Islands, an archipelago of unique biodiversity that’s famous for […]
Some 36 quarries, made of limestone and stony material, have been devouring the vegetation in the area surrounding the Cerro Blanco Forest for years. A hilly forest that is a bastion of exceptional flora and fauna next to Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil, is now threatened by mining, urbanization and deforestation. Cerro Blanco— white hill in […]