15 Violent Deaths in Cuenca This Year — Already More Than Half of 2025's Total

Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news, but this is the kind of thing you should know if you live here.

According to El Mercurio, Cuenca has recorded 15 violent deaths so far in 2026 — through May 12. To put that in perspective, the city logged 25 homicides in all of 2025. We're barely past the midpoint of the year and already at 60% of last year's total.

The Pattern

Of those 15 deaths, 11 involved firearms — and some of those weapons were the kind "authorized only for military and special forces." That's not random street crime. Police attribute the surge primarily to drug trafficking and territorial disputes over sales zones.

Geographically, the violence is spread across the city:

• 11 deaths in urban sectors
• 4 in rural zones (Tamarindo, Tarqui, Molleturo)

Interestingly, only four of the 15 victims were Azuay residents. The rest came from other provinces or other countries — another indicator that this is tied to organized activity moving through the region, not homegrown crime.

What This Means for You

Let's be honest about what this is and isn't.

This isn't a wave of crime targeting expats or random residents. The data points to organized criminal activity — territorial disputes between groups fighting over drug distribution. That's a very different risk profile than muggings or home invasions.

But it is a measurable escalation in a city that has long been one of Ecuador's safest. The fact that military-grade weapons are showing up in Cuenca streets is notable and worth paying attention to.

The practical takeaway: stay aware of your surroundings, especially late at night. Avoid areas you don't know well after dark. And keep in mind that the curfew currently in effect (through May 18) exists precisely because of this kind of security environment.

Source: El Mercurio