Cuenca news today, written for expats

A $90M hydroelectric plant and a $180M wind farm at 3,800 meters elevation. The Yanuncay River area is about to become Cuenca's energy corridor, with construction starting as early as 2027.

The painter, muralist, and beloved University of Cuenca professor who shaped generations of artists has died at 103. His daughter said he 'merges with the ochre tones of Cuenca's sunsets.'

The IV Youth Employment Fair packed Portal Artesanal with job seekers facing a familiar catch-22: employers want experience, but nobody's hiring without it. Youth unemployment sits at 8.1%.

Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso has resubmitted expansion plans to grow from 290 to 400 beds and add a critical care tower. The previous price tag? $200 million.

Ecuador's grid operator projects an 18% chance of blackouts from October through March. Colombia cut off electricity sales, Coca Codo Sinclair keeps shutting down, and the government is scrambling to rent diesel plants.

Ecuador is dropping tariffs on Colombian products from 100% to 75% starting June 1. Cosmetics, medicines, plastics, and auto parts should get a little cheaper.