Mining Law Heads to Final Vote as Cuenca Protestors Rally to Stop It — Quimsacocha's Future Hangs in the Balance

Two Forces on a Collision Course

This week, two things are happening simultaneously that could shape Cuenca's future for decades:

1. The Organic Law for Strengthening Strategic Mining and Energy Sectors advances to its final vote in the National Assembly
2. Cuenca's most vocal water advocates are flooding Parque Calderón to demand it be shelved

If you drink water in Cuenca — and you do — this matters.

What the Mining Law Proposes

The bill, classified as "economically urgent" by President Noboa, passed the Economic Development Commission with 8 votes in favor and heads to the full Assembly for second (final) debate this week.

Key provisions include:

• Strengthening state oversight of mining operations and institutional roles
• Streamlining administrative procedures before mining activities can begin
• Updating patent regimes for exploration and exploitation phases
• New chapters on investment promotion, mining clusters, and strategic security areas
• Replacing environmental licenses with permits — harmonizing mining law with Ecuador's Organic Environmental Code

That last point is the flashpoint. Environmental groups see the license-to-permit switch as a weakening of protections. Acting Vice Minister of Mines María Emilia Limongi insists the change "does not reduce or flex environmental controls" — but activists aren't buying it.

Why Cuenca Is Ground Zero

The páramo above Cuenca — specifically the Quimsacocha area — is one of the most contested mining targets in Ecuador. It's also where Cuenca's water comes from.

Quimsacocha sits above 3,500 meters elevation, bordering Cajas National Park. The páramo feeds the Tarqui and Yanuncay rivers, which are critical water sources for the city and surrounding rural parishes. Mining here doesn't just threaten an ecosystem — it threatens the taps in your kitchen.

The Protest: When, Where, Who

El Cabildo por el Agua (Water Council) organized a demonstration:

• When: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM
• Where: Parque Calderón, in front of the Azuay Provincial Government building
• What: A plantón (standing protest) demanding the National Assembly archive the mining bill

The group had invited all six Azuay provincial assembly members to dialogue on February 23rd. According to reports, lawmakers from the ruling ADN party did not attend.

Meanwhile, ETAPA Is Buying More Páramo

In a parallel move that underscores Cuenca's commitment to water protection, the municipal water utility ETAPA just announced the addition of 100 new hectares to protected conservation areas near Quimsacocha.

ETAPA General Manager Verónica Polo confirmed the utility has invested approximately $2.5 million in land purchases totaling over 1,000 hectares in the last two years, with a target of reaching $5 million in conservation investment.

"We defend the páramo," Polo stated — a direct counter to the national government's mining agenda.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't just a Cuenca issue. The mining law affects the entire country. The government argues mining revenue is essential for fiscal sustainability — Ecuador needs the foreign currency and tax income. Environmental groups argue you can't put a price on water.

In Cuenca, the answer has been clear for years. The city voted overwhelmingly against mining in the Quimsacocha watershed in a 2019 popular consultation. But national laws can override local preferences, and that's exactly what activists fear.

What to Watch

• This week: The full Assembly vote on the mining bill
• Constitutional challenges: Multiple lawsuits are expected if the bill passes
• Local response: How Cuenca's municipal government positions itself against the national policy
• Water monitoring: ETAPA's ongoing efforts to secure páramo land before mining interests can move in

The water coming out of your faucet in Cuenca started as rain on the páramo. What happens to that páramo this week in the Assembly could determine what comes out of that faucet for generations.

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Sources: El Mercurio, CuencaHighLife, Cuenca.gob.ec