Terms of Service | Cuenca Expat

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of cuencaexpat.com (the “Site”), operated by Iterative Systems LLC (“we,” “us”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Site.

1. Nature of Content

The Site publishes news, commentary, and practical information for the English-speaking expat community in Cuenca, Ecuador. Content is editorial in nature and provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, tax, immigration, medical, financial, or investment advice. See our Disclaimer for the full scope of this limitation.

2. No Warranty

The Site is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. While we make reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy — including citing our sources on every article — we make no warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any information on the Site. Laws, fees, processing times, and policies in Ecuador and elsewhere change. Information accurate on the date of publication may be outdated when you read it.

3. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Iterative Systems LLC, its owners, officers, employees, and contributors will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages arising from or related to your use of the Site or reliance on any content published here. This includes, without limitation, damages for lost profits, lost data, visa denials, tax penalties, property losses, or personal injury. Your sole remedy is to stop using the Site.

4. External Links

The Site contains links to third-party websites, including government agencies, news outlets, and service providers. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, policies, or practices of any third-party site. Following an external link is at your own risk.

5. Commercial Relationships

The Site is published by the same company that operates EcuaPass (visa and residency services) and FileAbroad (expat tax preparation). Articles may reference or link to these services. Where they do, we identify the relationship clearly. We do not currently participate in affiliate programs, display advertising, or sponsored content unless explicitly disclosed in the article itself.

6. User Submissions

If you submit a story tip, correction, photograph, or other content to us through the submission form or email, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, edit, and publish that content in connection with the Site. You represent that you own or have the right to submit the content and that publication will not violate any third-party right. We are under no obligation to publish submissions and may edit or reject them at our discretion.

7. Intellectual Property

All content on the Site — articles, photographs, illustrations, logos, and the compilation thereof — is owned by Iterative Systems LLC or licensed to us, and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may share excerpts with attribution and a link back, consistent with fair-use principles. You may not reproduce, mirror, scrape, or republish substantial portions of the Site without our written permission.

8. AI and Automated Access

Use of automated tools to scrape or mirror the Site is prohibited without written permission. Use of our published content to train machine-learning or AI models is prohibited without a separate commercial license.

9. Conduct

You agree not to:

Use the Site for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, its servers, or its admin area.
Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code, or interfere with the Site’s operation.
Harass, defame, or impersonate any person in submissions or communications.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Iterative Systems LLC from any claim, loss, or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your use of the Site, your submissions, or your violation of these Terms.

11. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when the current version took effect.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Ecuador. Any dispute arising from or related to the Site or these Terms will be brought exclusively in the competent courts of Cuenca, Azuay Province, Ecuador, and you consent to that jurisdiction.

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

14. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be sent to info@cuencaexpat.com.