Cuenca News
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The government says that the number of Covid-19 cases continues a three-week downward trend, dropping dramatically in the week ending August 21. At the same time, it says that cases of monkeypox increased from 20 to 35 in the last seven days. “The Covid pandemic is, fortunately, in decline and we expect this to continue,”...
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By Sylvan Hardy They’re coming in from all over the world. That’s what Australian Kendall Barnes says about other recent arrivals to Cuenca. “I’ve met people from Belgium, Israel, China, Russia, Argentina, Portugal, the U.S. and England since I moved here last year,” Barnes says. “Most of them are doing some sort of online work...
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A series of earthquakes centered off the coast of Manabí Province has kept coastal residents on edge since late last week. Sunday’s 5.4 and 4.9 magnitude quakes, felt strongly in Manta, Bahía de Caraquez, Jama and Portoviejo, were the most intense so far, causing minor cracking in some structures. According to the Geophysical Institute, it...
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By Stephen Vargha In the United States, there has been a long-standing discussion within tourism circles about the value of policing services at popular tourist destinations. Some argue that the local police can handle tourism duties as part of their workload. Others say police with foreign language skills and a special assignment of looking after...
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By Stephen Vargha Though sushi is synonymous with Japan, it can be found 9,000 miles away in Cuenca. Sushi is bite-sized and rice-based, often involves raw fish, and is accompanied by sliced ginger and wasabi (Japanese horseradish). It originated as casual food served at food stalls in the Tokugawa era (between 1603 and 1867). Since...
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By David Morrill and Deke Castleman A statue of Garaicoa Abdón Calderón marks the heart of Parque Calderón, which marks the heart of El Centro, which, in turn, marks the heart of Cuenca. To get your bearings in Cuenca, this is where you start. Abdón Calderón was born in Cuenca in 1804 and at the...
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By Martin Simmons As someone who has spent five or six months a year in Cuenca since 2003, I always appreciate the fact that I’m able to see the city with fresh eyes every time I return. For me, it’s like viewing a series of snapshots, taken in chronological order. It also reminds me a...
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Residents of the El Cebollar / Mutualista Azuay neighborhood are blaming Mayor Pedro Palacios for the partial demolition of a community education center. Heavy equipment began knocking down walls of the center before daylight Tuesday but were stopped by angry neighbors who blocked the work. “We were not consulted about this and because they started...
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By Stephen Vargha There is a sport in Ecuador that you will not see being played anywhere else in the world: Ecuavóley. Originally considered a sport for the lower class or “lazy people,” ecuavóley has greatly expanded since then as you can see it being played throughout the country. It is a bit different than...
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The long-delayed Quito Metro subway project faces new delays following the rejection of a management contract signed last week with Colombian and French companies. “This project has been one disaster after another for 12 years and this is just the latest,” said Quito municipal councilwoman Paulina Izurieta. “This surprises no one.” On Wednesday, the National...
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The Network of Free Journalists is the latest non-profit organization encouraging President Guillermo Lasso to veto the Organic Law of Communication passed in July by the National Assembly. “If allowed to go into effect, this legislation would be an instrument for political revenge, just as the communication law enacted during the Rafael Correa regime proved...
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Editor’s note: Beginning in 2008, students at the University of Cuenca have conducted surveys of what Cuencanos think about North American and European expats and their impact on the community. The survey was repeated in late 2021. Graduate student Silvia Lara, who was born in Cuenca but grew up in the U.S. before returning to...