For the first time, Ecuador has officially expressed concern about the exclusion of opposition candidates in last Sunday’s Venezuelan presidential election. President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner on Monday in an election that drew less than half of eligible voters. Although mild, the criticism represents a clear break between President Lenin Moreno and Foreign […]
Just when it needs it most, Ecuador is getting a financial boost from rising oil prices. Energy minister Carlos Pérez said Tuesday that Ecuador has made a billion dollars over the past year due to rising prices. “We are facing budget difficulties and the extra income provided by petroleum is offering welcome relief,” he said […]
By Robert Bradley The Third annual Cuenca International Writers Conference, sponsored by the non-profit Foundation of Literature of the Americas, kicks off Monday, May 28 and continues through Friday, June 1, with five days of workshops, and social and cultural events. The conference is the project of the city’s expat writers community and will bring […]
Hummingbirds are named for the sound of their rapidly beating wings, but now their tongues have captured scientists’ attention. These tiny birds can suck 10 drops of nectar out of a flower every 15 milliseconds, researchers at the University of Connecticut recently discovered. For nearly two centuries, scientists have thought the birds used a much […]
At least a dozen buildings, including three schools, report significant damage as a result of a Tuesday morning earthquake centered 55 kilometers west of Ibarra. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake registered 5.0 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 35 kilometers. The quake sent thousands of workers and school children […]
Tram stations will not change The Cuenca municipal council rejected a request on Monday to change the location of 14 tram stations. The changes were proposed by the Commission for Urban and Rural Roads, which said stations relocation would benefit local neighborhoods and increase ridership along the 22 kilometer route. The majority of council members maintained […]
What joy to rely on the kindness of strangers. Before waxing poetic on this food review (It’s not easy to wax a poetic, if only because they’re really hard to catch) I want to express our deep appreciation to all the people who have so graciously offered their help, emotional and even financial, after the […]
A bloc of countries from the Americas opposing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that all its 14 members will recall their ambassadors to the country to protest against what it said was the country’s failure to hold a “free and fair” election. In a statement issued on Monday, the Lima Group said the members’ […]
The Oliver Sinisterra Front, commanded by former FARC rebel leader El Guacho, is not the only armed drug organization operating in southern Colombia. According to Colombia’s Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, a non-profit organization that monitors the peace process between the government and former rebels, at least 12 drug trafficking groups are working in the region […]
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has shrugged off international condemnation and allegations of vote buying and electoral fraud to claim a second six-year term at the helm of his crisis-stricken nation. Addressing crowds of supporters outside the presidential palace in Caracas on Sunday night, Maduro hailed the “impeccable electoral process” that had returned him to power […]
