Another mayor is arrested; Noisy Cuenca motorcycles are fined; Santa Ines Hospital supports FASEC hospice; Cuenca firefighters rescue Venezuela quake victim
Bored? –
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 27/6) Concierto de “Leyendas Musicales el Azuay” (“Musical Legends of Azuay” Concert) – The Casa de la Cultura and Asociación de Artistas Profesionales de Azuay (AAPA) will perform the concert “Leyendas Musicales del Azuay) el 9/7 a las 19:00 in the CCE theater. The event will be free until all seats are filled. The program will include themes from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s as well as a posthumous tribute to musicians who have left a legacy in the artistic history of Azuay.
Curious? –
(De El Mercurio del viernes, 26/6) Alcaldesa detenida; la cuarta en la lista (Mayor arrested; the fourth on the list) – Ángela Plúa Santillán, mayor of Jipijapa in Manabí, has become the 4th mayor to be arrested in Ecuador this year. She is among 119 mayors who are facing criminal proceedings. She, along with 12 others, is accused of being part of an organized crime structure that was managing irregular vehicle registrations in Manabí. After a 10-month investigation which started with a citizen’s complaint, the Policía Nacional found people making irregular payments between $100-$150 to get a driver’s license , to register a vehicle, and to pass technical vehicle inspections which caused a loss of about $5 million to the Government.
Cuenca transportation officers are cracking down on motorcycles that violate the city’s noise ordinance. Some motorcycles are specially retrofitted to make more noise, EMOV says. (El Mercurio)
Only in the past year, apart from Plúa, 3 mayors were arrested and are in detention for various crimes. The mayor of Guayaquil, Aquiles Álvarez was accused along with family members of illegal sales of fuel. In 8/2025, José Arroyo, the mayor of Pujilí was arrested for embezzlement. Once he became mayor, he gave contracts to campaign donors After his arrest he changed his sex from male to female and is at the womens’ prison La Roca.
Last 3/6, Vicko Villacís, mayor of Esmeraldas was charged in the Blindaje case for alleged money laundering as leader of a network that managed up to $17 million with illegal origins. According to an investigation by the Spondylus Info Lab, a journalistic alliance of which El Mercurio Cuenca is a part, about one half of the 222 mayors and 23 prefects in the country have been involved in criminal proceedings, although many of the cases were archived (dismissed). One of the situations the investigation called critical is in Pichincha province where almost all of the authorities are in criminal processes, and what stands out is that not all of the cases are archived. Of the other largest cities in Ecuador, the suspended mayor of Cuenca, Cristian Zamora, is being processed for illicit enrichment since he was not able to justify thousands of dollars in income.
(De El Mercurio del viernes, 26/6) EMOV EP sanciona por exceso de ruido (EMOV EP issues fines for excessive noise) – La Empresa Municipal de Movilidad (EMOV EP) intensified its operations to control excessive noise from motorcycles in Cuenca which is more notable at night. During an operation on el 24/6 in the Centro Histórico, 27 motorcycle drivers were fined for exceeding noise limits. The law calls for a fine of 50% of the Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) if the noise level exceeds 1-4.99 decibels over the limit and a 100% fine if the level exceeds 5-9.99 decibels over the limit. The manager of EMOV EP, Lenin Guzmán said that there are shops that modify exhausts to increase the noise. These businesses are controlled by a different institution, not EMOV.
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 27/6) ¡Terminaron las clases; inician las vacaciones! (Classes end, vacation starts!) Classes have ended for the 2025-2026 school year for thousands of students in the Sierra and Amazonas. The Ministry of Education calls for 200 days of school activities per year. Kids who didn’t get enough points to be promoted to the next grade should take make-up classes that will be held from el 29/6 to el 3/7 to prepare for the make-up tests from the 6-9/7.
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 27/6) FASEC y Hospital Santa Inés renuevan un convenio social (FASEC and Santa Inés Hospital Renew a Social Partnership Agreement) – La Fundación al Servicio del Enfermo de Cáncer (FASEC) and Santa Inés Hospital have renewed an interinstitutional agreement of cooperation for another 5 years to strengthen integrated treatment and palliative care for patients with chronic illnesses in their terminal phases. Bruno Ledesma, manager of Santa Inés, said the first alliance was signed after COVID. The hospital will maintain its technical, medical, and nursing support of FASEC as part of its promise of social responsibility to the Cuenca community. He said that even when there is no cure, there is care. Sofía Venegas, president of FASEC, said the foundation administers the only palliative care unit in the south of the country. It has a capacity for 25 patients and is about 80% full with patients from both the public and private health system. The agreement will guarantee medical and nursing attention, psychological support, social work, occupational therapy, and accompany families through their grieving process. She said FASEC has been sustained. with the help of the citizenry, private businesses, and the work of 25 volunteers. The backing of Santa Inés has been essential to strengthen specialized attention. If you need their services , present your cédula and a certificate or your clinical history to be evaluated by the medical and social work team.
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 27/6) Fin a viajes municipales a EE.UU. (End to municipal trips to the US) – The trips by council members and city officials to the 10 de Agosto parades in the US will not be made using city funds. Felipe Ochoa, head of the Department of International Relations, confirmed that this measure responds to a guideline from Marisol Peñaloza, Cuenca’s acting mayor. He said that 92% of the international missions during 2025 were financed partially or totally by external parties which paid for transportation, lodging and food. In the future, only trips financed 100% by international organisms or that represent an immediate and strategic benefit to the city will be authorized. Ochoa added that the majority of council members participated in trips during the current administration. The parades in the US were normally attended by one or 2 people. With the new provision, these trips will not be paid for by the city.
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 27/6) Nuevo esquema para tasa minera (New mining tax scheme) – The mining concessions that are in the exploration and economic evaluation phase are not part of the mining tax payment system which has been in effect since 6/2025, and which now only applies during the exploitation phase and to processing plants. The Agencia de Regulación y Control Minero (ARCOM) updated the methodology for calculating the tax in the 2026 fiscal year, recognizing the nature of the exploratory activities which are characterized by high levels of investment and risk. This phase is oriented to generating geological information, technical studies and evaluation of the mineral resources. Funds generated by the mining tax allow ARCOM to exercise monitoring, oversight, and control as well as reinforcing the fight against illegal mining and verifying compliance with mining, environmental, social and safety laws. Initially, the Government estimated an annual collection of $220 million from the mining tax, but for 2026, without the businesses in the exploration phase, the estimate has dropped to $42.29 million. Added to this amount is the amount charged for issuing marketing licenses which are the equivalent of 10 Salarios Básicos Unificados per license <$4,820>. There are 363 registered active licenses which add another $1.75 million to the $42.20 million for a total of $44.04 million for the 2026 fiscal year.
(De El Mercurio del domingo 28/6) Solidaridad (Solidarity) – The Quito Fire Department rescued Marlene, an 80-year-old woman, who was trapped for 60 hours under rubble in the Playa Grande sector in Venezuela. One of the rescuers told her, “I saw you, okay, sweetie, we’ll get you out.” The team emphasized that they won’t ever stop looking and are guided every minute by the conviction that they will find people alive as long as there’s a possibility of rescue. . The rescue was reported by the international news media.
(De El Mercurio del domingo 28/6) ¿Es buena idea vestir a los perros? (Is it a good idea to dress up dogs?) – Beyond fashion, the veterinary response is clear: it depends on the need and respect for the animal. Short haired breeds, puppies, old dogs or dogs with arthritis benefit enormously from a coat in the winter to regulate their temperature. Specialized sites such as Dogster say you should never force the dog. Pick comfortable clothing without dangerous buttons that don’t limit movement or block their body language. The golden rule is to prioritize the pet’s physical well being over aesthetics.
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6/29/2026 5:31:35 AM