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By Fernando Gimeno Ecuador is facing a crucial moment for the future of its oil industry, a key pillar of the Andean nation’s economy. In a referendum scheduled to coincide with an early general election on Aug. 20, voters will decide whether or not to ban crude...
President Guillermo Lasso announced Wednesday he is preparing a decree law to provide funding for damages caused by the developing El Niño weather system. “The experts tell us that this could be a devastating event, especially for the country’s coastal provinces, and...
By Susana Madera What once was a rugged mountain, covered with weeds and bushes, now has been transformed into a “living laboratory” with some 30,000 plants of assorted species and varieties planted on some 40 hectares (100 acres) in the Pablo Arenas parish in...
By Matt Turner The American Dream might look a little different for everyone. But at its heart, it promises upward mobility, the opportunity to attain success no matter what situation you might be born into. In a recent paper titled The Intergenerational Persistence...
Although the official start of the cross death election campaign for president and National Assembly doesn’t begin until August 8, most candidates are already in the streets and on social media. In Cuenca this week, noisy processions for presidential candidates Yaku...
Miércoles, 21/6/2023 Hola, Todos - Titular - Inti Raymi, fiesta del sol y del maíz (Inti Raymi, festival of the sun and corn) - Inti Raymi or the Festival of the Sun is on el 21/6 and relates directly to the harvesting of typical products in the Andes. Cojitambo is a...
By Robbie Lisa Freeman Not long ago, I travelled to Ecuador on a mythic quest to see as much of the country, its natural wonders, and its 1,600+ species of birds as possible over a 28-day trip. In short, to find my Shangri-La, my Utopia, my Garden of Eden! But where...
Refugees and displaced persons from other countries make up more than 3.2% of Ecuador’s population, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The country ranks only behind Colombia and Peru in refugees in Latin America as a proportion of...
By Carlos Ortega After months of angry charges and countercharges between President Lasso and the National Assembly, everything has turned eerily quiet in Quito. Even the noisy mouthpiece of the indigenous movement, Leonidas Iza, has dialed down the volume. The fact...
By Belinda Smith Daniel dos Santos Costa spent his early 20s DJ'ing and promoting parties, concerts and festivals in Brazil — good times that would leave him with a painful legacy. While lugging heavy equipment around, as well as riding a motorbike and generally...
Lunes, 19/6/2023 Hola, Todos - Cultura - De El Mercurio del sábado, 17/6 (1 article): Obras de tres marcas en Escaparate Creativo (Works of three brands in Escaparate Creativo) - Design and craft returns to Escaparate Creativo, a space in the lobby of the Municipio de...
Inti Raymi, which means “sun festival” in the Quechua language, was the Inca celebration of the northern solstice. To this day, it remains the most important annual event for Andean Indigenous cultures in the countries that formed the Incan empire, namely Ecuador,...
By Deke Castleman and Sylvan Hardy The concept of punctuality is one distinct example of the differences between the Ecuadorian and North American cultures. Most expats tend to be compulsively prompt and even, by Latin American standards, ridiculously early....
The Constitutional Court on Friday approved President Guillermo Lasso decree to increase the amount of exemptions taxpayers can claim but denied a second decree that would have established special tax-free zones to attract new businesses and generate investment. The...
Sábado - 17/6/2023 Hola, Todos - Sorry, all - I wrote this last night (viernes) and am pretty sure I sent it. But I think it went to wherever it is that the one stray sock in a weeks worth of washing goes to keep company with all the missing clothes hangers....
Editor's note: This column is re-posted from February 2021. It is the first of a two-part series by the author. Literature has always been illuminated by constellations of memorable characters. One of my favorite stars is Dean Moriarty, the brilliant, adventurous and...
By Garry Vatcher To me, Esmeraldas is one of the most fascinating parts of Ecuador. Its natural beauty, pristine beaches and amazing people makes it special. Last year, I spent several weeks exploring this part of Ecuador. What disappointed me was the extreme poverty...
Ecuador is preparing to hold early general elections after president Guillermo Lasso dissolved the opposition-dominated National Assembly last month and called emergency elections under a so-called "cross death" decree. Under the decree, both the Assembly and the...
By Catalina Oquendo The Darién jungle, which separates Colombia from Panama, is the epicenter of one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises. Thousands of migrants attempt to cross this dense patch of jungle every day, risking their lives in doing so. So far in...
Ecuador’s Chamber of Fisheries reports a 9% drop in fishing exports in 2023, most of it due to increasing water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean while small fishermen say their catches are down almost 30%. Experts say the numbers will continue to drop. “This is a...
