Articles

Pumaspungo Resto Bar on the Paseo Tres de Noviembre was broken into during the Carnaval holiday. Thieves entered through the roof while the restaurant was closed. Business owners in El Centro are now organizing community alarm systems.

The Policía Nacional has established a fixed security operation in Sayausí, the western Cuenca parish that serves as the gateway to Cajas National Park. It comes after the municipality donated over $500,000 to bolster police resources in the area.

If Cuenca felt unusually packed this weekend, you weren't imagining it. Hotels hit 90% occupancy, 1.3 million Ecuadorians hit the road, and the government estimates the four-day feriado will generate up to $100 million in tourism spending. Here's what the Carnival boom actually looked like.

What started as a festive Carnival Saturday turned dangerous fast. Intense afternoon rains on February 14 and 15 flooded at least 15 neighborhoods, damaged homes in Barabón Chico, and sent emergency crews scrambling across western Cuenca. Meanwhile, in Cajas National Park, lightning struck four hikers on Cerro San Luis.

If you see people in teal blue uniforms patrolling El Centro and don't recognize them — relax, it's still the Guardia Ciudadana. Cuenca's municipal security force ditched the old red look for a full rebrand in 2026. Here's what changed and what they actually do.

If you bought a new vehicle in the last two weeks and couldn't register it, the wait is over. The ANT just restored new vehicle registration in Cuenca after a corruption scandal shut the system down nationwide. Here's the backstory and what you need to do.

From this morning's Mote Pata workshop to Saturday night's Nicky Jam concert, here's everything happening in Cuenca for Carnival 2026 — plus Tranvía schedule changes, road patrol info, and what to know before you head out.

The Consejo de Seguridad Ciudadana has deployed 90 new surveillance cameras and announced 400 additional community alarms for Cuenca neighborhoods, while multi-agency coordination ramps up ahead of Carnival.

Numbeo's mid-year safety index ranks Cuenca as the safest major city in South America, with a safety score of 54.05—great news for expats considering the move.