Two Women Now Lead Cuenca and Azuay

For the first time in recent local history, women are leading both Cuenca’s Alcaldía and the Azuay Prefecture. The arrangement emerged after two separate changes: Cuenca’s mayor was suspended by the Tribunal Contencioso Electoral, while Azuay’s prefect resigned to run for mayor.

How the transition happened

Vice Mayor Marisol Peñaloza assumed Cuenca’s mayoralty on an interim basis after the TCE sanctioned Mayor Cristian Zamora in June. The report says her stay is expected to run through December 2026, although it could continue through the end of the current term in May 2027, depending on Zamora’s health.

In Azuay, Alexandra Quintanilla became prefect last week after Juan Cristóbal Lloret resigned. Lloret left the post to seek the Cuenca mayoralty for the 2027–2031 period.

The result is a leadership arrangement that is both historic and provisional. Peñaloza is the first woman in recent local history to remain in the mayor’s office for a prolonged six-month period because of a judicial sanction against the elected mayor. The report says the sentence that produced Zamora’s suspension relates to a gender-violence case.

Why the interim period matters

Residents and foreign residents do not need to turn every local decision into a political forecast, but they do need to know who is responsible for decisions right now. City permits, municipal services, infrastructure priorities, and communication with national authorities continue under the current administration even while the longer-term political picture remains unsettled.

The prefecture matters in a different way. Provincial government decisions can affect rural roads, productive programs, and coordination with the cantons around Cuenca. A change in prefectural leadership therefore has consequences beyond the city center.

What this means for Cuenca expats

Treat the current leadership as an active governing arrangement, not as a final statement about the next election. For practical purposes, the names to recognize now are Marisol Peñaloza at the municipality and Alexandra Quintanilla at the prefecture.

When following a project or service, check whether the announcement comes from the municipal or provincial government and whether it describes a decision, a target, or an interim arrangement. That distinction will matter as Cuenca approaches the next mayoral cycle.

Source: El Mercurio