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.

On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Quiport announced that the Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito will resume its expansion to "improve the passenger experience and increase operational capacity."

In November 2019, the expansion of the passenger terminal began but was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Quiport, the investment amounts to USD 74.2 million. Of this amount, USD 19.1 million has already been spent, and USD 55.1 million is "yet to be executed."

There are four levels in the terminal expansion, which is an additional 25% and will be carried out between 2024 and 2025:

Level 0:

- Expansion of technical rooms and storage areas

Level 1:

- Expansion of the public arrivals hall

- Baggage claim area

- Increase in the capacity of international baggage carousels

- Reconfiguration of the Customs area

- Expansion of the duty-free store and baggage handling system

Level 2:

- Expansion of the public departures hall

- Passenger check-in area with 20 new counters and 12 self-check-in machines

- Pre-boarding lounge for 350 passengers

- New dining spaces

- Expansion of the international departure duty-free store

Level 3:

- Expansion of the international VIP lounge

Beginning this Thursday, August 1, 2024, the increased conservation fee for entry to the protected areas of the Galápagos will be applied, as mandated by the government of Daniel Noboa. National tourists will pay five times more, and foreign tourists, double.

With these new fees, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism aims to stabilize mass tourism to the islands and maintain the well-being of the ecosystems and inhabitants.

The increase was approved on February 24 by the Governing Council of the islands. The new fees are as follows:

Ecuadorian citizens and residents:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $15

• Persons 12 years or older: $30 (previously $6)

• Persons over 65 years old: $15

• Persons with disabilities holding a CONADISUS card: $15

Foreign citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $50

• Persons 12 years or older: $100

• Persons enrolled in Ecuadorian educational institutions: $50

Foreigners from all other countries:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $100

• Persons 12 years or older: $200 (previously $100)

• Persons enrolled in Ecuadorian educational institutions: $50

In 2023, the Galápagos National Park recorded a record 330,000 tourists in the archipelago, more than half of whom were foreigners.

You can also read about these new fees on this official page: Tributo de ingreso.

What is happening on the roads between Cuenca and Guayaquil?

The newspaper El Mercurio reports that insecurity on the roads is causing significant social and economic impacts. Criminals are now attacking directly on the roads, making it dangerous for travelers.

How has passenger traffic been affected?

Passenger traffic has decreased by 50% during this vacation period compared to previous years. The fear of being attacked on the road has deterred many from traveling. Night shifts have been reduced due to safety concerns.

What are drivers experiencing?

Miguel, a driver with over 10 years of experience, shares, "They block our way on the road. Before, they only threatened us, but now they shoot without mercy." Criminals are intercepting vehicles on deserted stretches to rob drivers and passengers.

What is the transport sector's reaction?

Transport representatives are deeply concerned. Hermel Jarro, president of the Azuay Interprovincial Transport Union (UTIPA), states, "There are no security guarantees on the highways, and criminals rob us twice a week." They have requested increased security, especially on the Cuenca-Molleturo road and in La Troncal.

What measures are being taken for protection?

Transport leaders have implemented searches on passengers before boarding, but criminals have adapted and now attack directly on the roads. They use trucks to block and force buses into ditches for easy robbery. Security technology, like panic buttons and cameras, is failing. "The panic button is a sham; it has never worked," a driver noted. According to him all vehicles are equipped with six security cameras, three installed by ANT Ecuador and three additional ones by the cooperatives, but the response from ECU-911 is nonexistent.

How should you handle an assault as passenger?

Pedro Mejía, a security expert, advises staying calm and not resisting during an assault: "Sometimes these people are under the influence of drugs. It's dangerous to make them nervous or more violent." He adds that the modus operandi almost always involves three or more armed people, putting the passenger at a clear disadvantage.

Are there alternatives for traveling to Guayaquil?

Yes, LATAM offers a daily direct flight between Cuenca and Guayaquil. It's also possible to fly to Guayaquil via Quito. If you need to fly to a foreign country you may choose to fly via Quito instead of Guayaquil. 

According to Primicias,  the National Federation of Public Transport Cooperatives (Fenacotip) has suspended the national strike initially planned for July 16-17. This decision was announced on July 15 by Abel Gómez, the manager of Fenacotip, during a press conference in Guayaquil.

Gómez explained that the suspension followed consultations with provincial leaders and was influenced by the government's declaration of a state of emergency and their underestimation of the strike threat. As a result, Fenacotip will also withdraw from dialogue tables with the government, citing ineffectiveness.

The strike was called to address road insecurity and the removal of fuel subsidies. Fenacotip is preparing a legislative proposal to include measures like panic buttons on public buses and direct GPS connections to the ECU 911 emergency system.

Gómez emphasized that normal activities would resume on July 16 and that Fenacotip would continue its advocacy efforts independently.

The National Federation of Intra and Inter Provincial Public Passenger Transportation (Fenacotip) has announced a strike of transporters for next July 16 and 17 due to the insecurity experienced by drivers on the roads. The president of Fenacotip said that work cannot continue under these conditions without the minimum help from the authorities and the Police. He also recalled that there are people who have died and that both passengers and drivers fear all the time for their safety.

The only runway of José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil will be out of service for six hours next Friday, July 19, 2024, due to scheduled maintenance work. The closure will occur from 06:30 to 12:30. During these hours the airport will stay open for passengers but no airplanes will be able to take off or land. 

The Municipality of Cuenca will construct a new bus terminal in the Narancay district, located in the southwestern part of the city. This district serves as the entrance to Cuenca from the direction of Loja/Machala.

The bus terminal will be built on the site of the current municipal food market (locally known as Plataforma Municipal Itinerante Narancay). It will have direct access to the new highway under construction in Narancay, which aims to alleviate traffic on the current road through the district. The bus terminal will accommodate interprovincial and regional buses. An electric bus will connect the terminal to the tramway, with the nearest tramway stop approximately 1 km away.

The municipality has already completed the designs for the bus terminal and is currently in the socialization phase, during which the project is explained to the public. Once this phase is completed, the construction of the bus terminal will take about a year and will cost approximately 10 million dollars.

Cuenca's current bus terminal, located east of the historic center, will remain in service after the opening of the new bus terminal. There are plans to replace the existing bus terminal with a new one in the northern part of the city, though this project is still in the study phase. Ultimately, Cuenca will have two new bus terminals: one in the southern part of the city and one in the northern part.

The 1.9 km long runway of Cuenca's airport was scheduled to be closed for maintenance and improvements in September and October this year. Due to contracting problems, this closure will be postponed until at least 2025. The municipality will ask contractors to make new bids.

Runway extension

Corpac, the municipal company that manages the airport, is analyzing an extension of the runway towards the northern head, which overlooks the Milchichig area. Studies are needed to carry out this expansion.

The National Traffic Agency has a regulation that allows pets to travel with their owners on interprovincial buses. These are the requirements that you will have to comply with:

• An signed agreement of responsibility between you and the bus company.
• You must be liable for civil and criminal actions and omissions.
• The animal must be fasting for at least four hours before the trip.
• The animal must have its own identification (collar and tag).
• The animal must have a microchip implanted.
• The animal must have a vaccination and deworming certificate for the last year.
• The animal must have certification for having been trained.
• The animal must wear a distinctive vest, a credential and a harness.

Animals can travel for free when they do not exceed 10 kilos of weight.