Audit sparks legal threats and deepens tension between local government and oversight officials.

Investigators from the State Comptroller General’s Office say they uncovered irregularities in multiple contracting processes in Cuenca’s municipality — including the high-priced armored SUV purchased to protect Mayor Cristian Zamora. What began as a technical review has now erupted into a political and legal confrontation between two authorities who insist they are defending the public interest.

A luxury purchase under scrutiny

The Chevrolet Tahoe acquired in 2024 for the mayor’s transport — valued at approximately $172,387 before taxes and more than $176,000 in earlier reporting — was justified by municipal authorities as necessary due to security risks and police recommendations. The contract also included ten maintenance services totaling nearly $4,700.

The Comptroller’s Office, however, found the needs assessment and technical specifications lacked prior studies and sufficient support, a deficiency it said restricted competition and violated transparency requirements in public procurement. The report also noted questionable details: the vehicle logged up to 3,581 kilometers without the proper authorization, was driven by an employee without a valid license, and its depreciation was incorrectly calculated.

Despite the investment, the armored truck suffered repeated failures within its first year — a point the auditors said highlights poor planning and additional costs for the municipality.

Evidence of possible crimes sent to prosecutors

The audit forms part of a broader examination of 11 municipal contracts between January 2020 and December 2024. Ten occurred under former mayor Pedro Palacios, and one — the armored vehicle — under Zamora.

The oversight institution approved administrative sanctions of $63,550 and determined indications of criminal liability, forwarding the findings to the Prosecutor’s Office for investigation. It also detected procedural inconsistencies in several cultural event contracts awarded in earlier administrations, including documents that could not be validated by issuing institutions and misclassified procurement regimes involving major city celebrations.

Mayor hits back and raises the political stakes

Zamora did not hold back after the Comptroller publicized its conclusions. He accused auditors of incompetence and politically motivated harassment, arguing the institution blurred facts by mixing processes from his administration with contracts awarded before he took office.

He cited a police incident on the Cuenca-Azogues highway — a high-speed chase involving his former vehicle — as proof that stronger protection was justified. “I’d like to see your bureaucratic hides,” he wrote, contending auditors ignored real attacks faced by public officials.

The mayor also claimed overwhelming support in Cuenca gives him the legitimacy to challenge what he called “auditors sent by political orders,” warning he had “some surprises” planned for them.

Oversight officials announce legal action to protect staff

The Comptroller’s response was swift. It condemned “expressions of intimidation” from Zamora and said it will take legal steps to safeguard the safety and credibility of its auditors. It reaffirmed that its work is “technical, impartial, and strictly governed” by constitutional oversight responsibilities — and insisted that no political pressure would alter the outcome of its audits.

More questions than answers for Cuenca residents

While the political fight intensifies, the central issue remains unresolved: whether Cuenca taxpayers paid fairly — and legally — for a vehicle meant to ensure their mayor’s safety. The auditors’ documents and the mayor’s warnings of escalating conflict now leave the investigation with national implications, turning a procurement dispute into a high-profile test of accountability in local government.