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Stories, tips, and insights from the expat community in Cuenca
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On March 17, prosecutors and police raided Mayor Cristian Zamora's home and office as part of an illicit enrichment investigation. Computers, phones, and documents were seized. Here's what's happening and what it means for the city.
Semana Santa runs March 29 through April 5 in Cuenca, and this year is special — a recovered procession tradition returns after more than 50 years. Here's everything you need to know about Holy Week events, closures, and the Trucha Festival.
A couple called me this morning who hired a visa service in Cuenca for their investor visa. After 8 months of work his application was denied — and now on day 180 of a tourist visa, they may have to leave the country. I decided to record the conversation.
This has been the wettest first quarter of the decade in Cuenca, and the numbers are alarming: more than 2,500 hectares are classified as disaster-prone, a national emergency covers all 24 provinces, and over half of Azuay's emergency incidents have been right here in the city.
If you've been driving to the coast through Giron and Pasaje, you already know the road is a mess. A major sinkhole at kilometer 50 and landslides at kilometer 85 have turned the route into a daily gamble, and the emergency repair contract is still at least three weeks from being awarded.
After years of potholes, landslides, and white-knuckle drives through Cajas National Park, the Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme highway is finally getting a full rehabilitation. President Noboa signed the $21.8 million contract on March 19, covering 113 kilometers of repairs over 18 months.
If you drive the Cuenca-Azogues highway at night, heads up: the Monay interchange project means nightly closures from 11 PM to 4 AM for the next 30 days. The project is at 24% completion, with the first overpass expected to be operational by September.
The $8 million municipal hospital in El Valle opened on February 2 and has already treated more than 7,800 patients, handled 900+ emergencies, and performed roughly 100 surgeries. It serves five parishes and over 78,000 residents — and two more municipal hospitals are on the way.
Ecuador's international reserves just hit $11.94 billion — the highest level since the country adopted the US dollar in 2000. If you keep your money in an Ecuadorian bank (or just spend dollars here daily), this is the single most important economic indicator you should be watching.
