Cuenca news today, written for expats

A surge in river sediment affected Coca Codo Sinclair on May 21, and power cuts were reported across several regions. In the local Centrosur area, El Mercurio reported outages in Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago, including rural Cuenca and nearby cantons.

The Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Ecuador will present its 'Visiones Modernas' concert in Cuenca on Saturday, May 23, at Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz. The program includes Silvestre Revueltas, Howard Shore and a Cuenca trombone soloist.

Amaru Bioparque Cuenca announced 2026 vacation programs running between June 29 and August 21. El Mercurio lists age groups, dates, daily hours, extended care and a WhatsApp number for registration.

Fundación Cóndor Andino is recruiting volunteers in 15 provinces, including Azuay, for a national citizen-science monitoring effort. The field monitoring is planned for September 18-20, with required training before then.

Reader Ross Roberts submitted details for a U.S. Federal Benefits Services visit to Cuenca in early June. A general informational meeting is planned for June 3, followed by walk-in help days June 4 and 5 for Social Security, Medicare and other federal-benefits questions.

Cuenca's mobility agency says its controls are aimed at drivers offering paid passenger transport without legal authorization. The sanction listed by El Mercurio is steep: a $964 fine, 10 license points, and vehicle retention for at least seven days.