Cuenca's City Council Just Rallied Behind Mayor Zamora — 12 of 15 Councilors Signed a Petition

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The political fallout from Monday's raid on Mayor Zamora's home is escalating fast.

On Wednesday (March 19), 12 of Cuenca's 15 city councilors signed a joint petition titled "A Defense of Democracy," publicly backing Mayor Cristian Zamora and questioning the circumstances of the raid. That's an overwhelming supermajority of the council.

What the Petition Says

The councilors' statement characterized the raid as a "dark event" and accused prosecutors of violating the mayor's rights during the operation. Their core demands:

• Judicial authorities must "maintain technical and objective independence" in their investigation
• The mayor's constitutional rights must be respected
• They support Zamora but demand transparency in any investigation — "without abuses"

The message is clear: we're not saying don't investigate, but we're saying the way this was done crossed a line.

Who's Supporting Zamora?

The support goes well beyond the city council:

• Azuay Prefect Juan Cristóbal Lloret rejected the raids and expressed solidarity
• Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz publicly stood with Zamora and his family
• Multiple Revolución Ciudadana legislators — Zamora's political alliance — rallied behind him, with some framing it as part of a broader pattern of using judicial tools against opposition politicians
• Citizen groups organized in support of the mayor at City Hall

The Other Side

Assemblyman Adrián Castro (ADN party, also representing Azuay) has pushed back against the "political persecution" narrative, arguing that the Fiscalía operates independently and that all public officials should be subject to financial scrutiny.

It's worth noting: the investigation involves $80,000 in bank transactions over five years — transactions that predate Zamora's time as mayor. Zamora says they're family loans and legitimate business activity.

What Does a Political Standoff Mean for Cuenca?

This is now beyond a legal question — it's a political battle. And political battles have practical consequences:

• If the council is focused on defending the mayor, they're spending less time on budgets, permits, and infrastructure decisions
• Major projects like the tram expansion, bus terminal improvements, and road repairs need council attention and votes
• The Monay-IESS traffic distributor ($43.3M, 25% complete) and the Cuenca-Molleturo road both need continued municipal coordination
• City services — trash collection, parks, EMOV enforcement — depend on a functioning administration

To be clear: nothing has stopped working yet. But political crises consume oxygen, and Cuenca has a lot of ongoing projects that need steady attention.

The Timing

This standoff is happening during an extraordinary week for Cuenca:

• The National Assembly held sessions here on March 17-18
• President Noboa visited to deliver housing and sign infrastructure contracts
• The Zamora raid happened the same day as the president's visit

Whether the timing is coincidental or calculated depends on who you ask. The political class in Cuenca is certainly talking about it.

What Happens Next

The investigation remains in its preliminary stage (investigación previa). Zamora has not been charged. Prosecutors will analyze the seized devices and documents, which could take weeks or months.

Meanwhile, Zamora continues as mayor with his council's overwhelming support. Unless formal charges are filed, the legal situation is unlikely to change soon — but the political dynamics will keep shifting.

We'll keep following this story.

Sources: CuencaHighLife, El Mercurio, Primicias