Although giving bribes is quite common in Ecuador, it is still illegal for both the person offering the bribe and the one receiving it. This was experienced by a woman who tried to bribe the local traffic police in Cuenca: 

The arrest occurred on Thursday afternoon, September 12, 2024, in the area of Avenida Del Migrante and Panamericana Norte.

According to the police report, the ECU911 requested the presence of police officers in that area to make contact with the traffic officer.

She reported that while conducting an operation, she was issuing a citation to Mr. Julio U. A., the driver of a vehicle.

At that moment, the passenger, Alexandra G. P., proceeded to "offer" money to the officer, attempting to bribe her.

Since it was a flagrant offense, the woman was arrested.

(Source: El Mercurio)

The Cuenca-Azogues-Biblián highway will soon have four new interchanges aimed at alleviating traffic congestion, particularly at peak hours. Three will feature elevated lanes, while the one near the IESS hospital will include both elevated and sunken lanes. The Ministry of Transportation (MTOP) is managing the $105 million project, with funding from a development bank loan. Local authorities and businesses have been briefed, and the first interchange, near the IESS hospital, will begin construction by late 2024, followed by others in key areas.

Source: El Mercurio.

The governments of Ecuador and the Republic of Korea have restarted the development of the new Guayaquil-Cuenca highway, facilitated through the public company Korea Expressway Corporation, as announced by the Public-Private Investment Secretariat.

The secretariat indicated that by the end of 2024, contracts are expected to be signed to conduct studies identifying the best technical solution for a fast route connecting Guayaquil and Cuenca. If construction proceeds, the national government estimates that the new highway will benefit 3.6 million people in both Azuay and Guayas.

What is the Guayaquil-Cuenca Highway?

For many years, Cuenca has sought a reliable, fast highway connecting it to Guayaquil, one that would not suffer from frequent closures due to weather. The capital of Azuay has been advocating for an optimal route to the Ecuadorian coast for over 150 years, though promises and proposals have been repeatedly delayed by successive governments.

The idea of a new route, an alternative to the existing Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme road, was revitalized in the 21st century. In March 2023, then-President Guillermo Lasso signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Expressway Corporation to conduct prefeasibility and feasibility studies for the highway. However, the agreement stalled due to the political instability in Ecuador at the time.

Now, under the leadership of President Daniel Noboa, the agreement has been revived. According to the Public-Private Investment Secretariat, the project is expected to progress this year.

During a press conference, Cuenca's Mayor Cristian Zamora invited various professionals, associations, and consortiums to present projects for the construction of the new North Bypass (Circunvalación Norte).

The Circunvalación Norte is a proposed 40 km long northern and western bypass around Cuenca, designed to alleviate congestion, reduce travel times, and connect new areas to the city. The bypass will stretch from the Guangarcucho sector east of Cuenca to Victoria del Portete south of Cuenca. Refer to the image below for the projected route of the road.

The Municipality of Cuenca has conducted studies on the bypass dating back to 2005-2009 and 2014. Mayor Zamora has asked interested parties to specify whether the project should be executed through a public or private partnership, or through a consortium.

Source: El Nuevo Tiempo.