Azogues Crowns 2026 Queen — Lady Uzhca of Taday Wins as the Canton Turns 201

This Year's Queen

Lady Ximena Uzhca Zambrano, representative of the San Andrés de Taday parish, was crowned Azogueñita 2026 on Saturday, April 11, during festivities marking Azogues' 201 years of cantonization.

Straight from El Mercurio: "Lady Ximena Uzhca Zambrano, representante de la parroquia San Andrés de Taday, fue electa el pasado sábado 11 de abril como Azogueñita 2026, en el marco de las festividades por los 201 años de cantonización de Azogues" (source).

Where It Happened

The event was held at the Coliseo Tipo Mil in Azogues. The paper describes the night: "El evento se desarrolló en el coliseo Tipo Mil, con la presencia de autoridades, delegaciones parroquiales y ciudadanía, quienes fueron testigos de una jornada en la que destacaron el talento, la cultura y la identidad de cada parroquia sobre el escenario."

Translation: parish delegations, local authorities, and a full crowd got a night of regional culture put front and center.

What This Means for You

• Azogues is ~40 minutes from Cuenca. If you haven't done the trip, a cantonization anniversary week is a solid excuse. It's a smaller, quieter canton capital with its own distinct feel — and the 201st birthday means extra public events, food, and music through the week.
• Reina/Queen pageants aren't just pageants here. They function as a civic ambassador role for the year, and the winner typically lays out in her remarks who she intends to speak up for during her term.
• Check Azogues' municipal channels before you go. Festival week schedules shift; the best intel comes from the town's own social media and municipal announcements.

Source: El Mercurio