There are weeks when Ecuador seems to run less on systems than on stubbornness. Oddly enough, that may be one of its strengths. Read through this week’s lineup of stories and the same pattern keeps appearing. The country is dealing with pressure on multiple fronts at once: trade friction with Colombia, uncertainty over long-term agreements […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Dry conditions and Colombia’s suspension of electricity sales expose strain in the national grid. Ecuador’s electricity system is facing a fresh stress test as reduced rainfall in two key river basins cut hydroelectric generation and forced operators to lean harder on backup sources, self-generation by private companies, and water reserves that officials insist remain under […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Latin American leaders warn that diplomacy is being eclipsed by force and unilateral power. The United Nations is facing renewed criticism from two of Latin America’s most prominent leaders, with Colombian President Gustavo Petro arguing that the organization has failed in its central mission of preventing war and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Five-year intervention gives National Police control of surveillance tools and strategic road monitoring. The National Police has formally taken control of the Samborondón Transit and Surveillance Authority’s operational infrastructure in what the government describes as a direct strike against the criminal networks that use the canton’s roads to move drugs, dodge checkpoints and connect with […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.

Regional mediators hope talks in Lima can cool a fast-growing diplomatic and commercial dispute. Relations between Ecuador and Colombia are set for a critical test next week as the two neighboring countries prepare to send high-level delegations to Lima for talks aimed at easing one of the sharpest bilateral disputes in recent years. The meeting, […] To access this post, you must purchase The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Monthly or The Cuenca Dispatch Subscription – Annual.