Mayor Cristian Zamora Says He Will Appeal a Six-Month Political-Rights Suspension
Cuenca Expat Staff
Cuenca's mayor is facing a first-instance electoral ruling, and the case is not finished yet.
El Mercurio reports that Joaquin Viteri Llanga, a judge of Ecuador's Tribunal Contencioso Electoral (TCE), accepted a complaint filed by councilwoman Diana Gonzalez against Mayor Cristian Zamora for gender-based political violence.
The decision was made on May 28, 2026.
What The Ruling Says
According to El Mercurio, the sentence says Zamora committed repeated conduct constituting gender-based political violence against Gonzalez.
The ruling orders:
- Suspension of Zamora's political participation rights for six months
- A fine of 25 Salarios Basicos Unificados, equal to $12,050
- Removal of official-account comments, messages and posts against Gonzalez
- Completion and approval of a 40-hour course on gender-violence awareness
What Happens Next
El Mercurio reports this is a first-instance decision.
Zamora said he will appeal the sentence and argued that it lacks strong grounds and has an electoral purpose.
The outlet also reports that, if the sanction is confirmed, Zamora would not be able to participate in the sectional elections scheduled for November.
For expats, the practical angle is city continuity: this does not remove the mayor today, but it does create a political and legal cloud over Cuenca's municipal leadership while the appeal moves forward.
Source: El Mercurio
