Social Issues

Authorities investigate animal cruelty at mercado

January 11th, 2014

Complaints from shoppers have prompted the city’s Citizen Guard to investigate conditions of caged animals at the Feria Libre market. The animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens and cuys, are often kept in cramped metal mesh cages in unsanitary conditions. Édison Moscoso, commander of the Citizens Guard, said that his officers are monitoring the situation...

Prostitutes and brothels checked by police

January 11th, 2014

Citizen complaints in Cuenca’s Cayambe barrio about brothels and sex workers have led to an increased police presence in the area. On Thursday, police examined the documents of two legal brothels and 22 prostitutes. The focus was determining that none of the sex workers were minors and that health exams were up to date, police...

Tensions in U.S. – Ecuador relationship continue despite trade and cultural links between the two countries

January 9th, 2014

By Michael Shifter Editor’s note: Michael Shifter is president of the Inter-American Dialogue and adjunct professor of Latin American studies at Georgetown University. Since President Rafael Correa came to power seven years ago, U.S. relations with Ecuador have been rocky. Most recently, in December 2013, the U.S. Agency for International Development decided to pull out...

Ecuador to hire 5,000 doctors

January 8th, 2014

Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health (MSP) plans to hire more than 5,000 public health doctors in the coming months, it announced on Tuesday. MSP said it was focusing on the areas of anesthesiology, emergenciology, epidemiology and physical medicine as well as general practice. Besides recruiting at Ecuador’s medical schools, the ministry is seeking doctors from...

Police warn of prostitutes, want them relocated

January 5th, 2014

National Police are cracking down on sex trade workers near the bus station and along Av. Huayana Capac but say identifying prostitutes is often difficult. Authorities say that the sex business attracts crime and presents a bad image for the city. In addition to female prostitutes, police say that male transvestites and male prostitutes also...

Age limit lifted for voluntary Social Security health care coverage

December 14th, 2013

Beginning January 2014, the age limit for voluntary membership in Ecuador’s Social Security heatlh care system will be eliminated. Currently, the program will not cover those over the age of 60. The policy change opens the door to foreign retirees who are legal residents of Ecuador who are older than 60, as well as Ecuadorians...

Quito grapples with dead dog problem

December 2nd, 2013

Citizens of Quito are demanding that the city do something about the dead dogs that litter streets and highways. Residents of one neighborhood walked two Quito city councilmen through area streets last week, pointing out the remains of two dogs killed in traffic. “These have been here for weeks,” said Juan Gonzalez who lives in...

Ecuadorians head to U.S. for Black Friday

November 26th, 2013

Ecuadorians, including dozens of Cuencanos, are heading to the U.S. to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving sales that mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season. Airlines flying to the U.S., particularly to Miami, report that out-going flights are full from today until Saturday. Return flights on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, will also be near...