Fewer Than 10 Security Cameras Watch Cuenca's Entire Historic Center — But 63 More Are Coming

Here's a number that might surprise you: fewer than 10 actual security cameras currently monitor Cuenca's entire UNESCO World Heritage historic center.

That's not a typo. The Citizen Security Council director Xavier Barrera admitted it publicly last week, and it caught a lot of people off guard.

Wait — What About All Those Cameras I See?

If you've walked around Parque Calderón, Calle Larga, or Gran Colombia and noticed cameras mounted on poles and buildings, you're not imagining things. But most of those aren't what you think they are.

The majority of visible cameras in El Centro are:

• Vehicle counting systems — they track traffic flow for EMOV (the transit authority), not criminals
• Private commercial cameras — owned by individual shops and businesses, not connected to any central monitoring
• Decorative or non-functional units — some were installed years ago and are no longer operational

The actual security cameras — the ones connected to ECU 911 emergency response and monitored in real time — number fewer than 10 for the entire historic core.

Why This Matters

Cuenca's historic center is where expats and tourists spend most of their time. It's where the restaurants, cafés, churches, museums, and plazas are. It's also where petty crime — phone snatching, pickpocketing, and opportunistic theft — is most likely to happen.

Just last week, a robbery at a commercial establishment in El Centro resulted in losses exceeding $15,000, according to La Voz del Tomebamba. Without functional security cameras, investigations rely almost entirely on witness testimony and private footage — if it exists.

The Fix: "Cuenca Segura" Project

The good news is that the city is moving to address the gap. A project called "Cuenca Segura" is currently in procurement, with the first phase including:

• 63 new surveillance cameras at 29 strategic locations
• Coverage targeting 90% of the historic center
• Digital zoom, video analytics, and pattern recognition capabilities
• Full integration with ECU 911 for real-time monitoring and emergency response

Planned locations include:

• Parque Calderón (the main plaza)
• Calle Sucre and Gran Colombia (primary commercial streets)
• Luis Cordero and Borrero (high-traffic pedestrian corridors)

Plus: 90 New Cameras Already Delivered Citywide

Separately, the Citizen Security Council recently delivered 90 new cameras to the ECU 911 system for other parts of the city, representing an investment of over $150,000. These cover areas outside the historic center — neighborhoods, intersections, and public spaces across greater Cuenca.

Combined with the Cuenca Segura project, the city's camera network will grow significantly in 2026.

What Expats Should Know

Until the new cameras are installed:

• Don't assume you're on camera in El Centro, even in busy areas. Keep standard urban precautions: phone in your front pocket, don't flash jewelry, and stay aware of your surroundings.
• Report crimes to ECU 911 (dial 911) — even if you think cameras caught it, they probably didn't. Your report creates a data point that helps justify more security investment.
• Private security cameras matter — if you're a business owner or landlord in El Centro, your cameras might be the only ones covering your block.
• The Guardia Ciudadana — Cuenca's recently rebranded municipal security force — patrols the center on foot. If you see them, they're your first line of contact for any safety concern.

The camera upgrade is overdue, and 63 units at 29 locations should make a meaningful difference. The question is how quickly procurement moves — in Cuenca, "in procurement" can mean anything from three months to a year.

Sources: La Voz del Tomebamba, GAD Municipal de Cuenca