City prepares for severe El Niño drought; Noboa nixes public referendum; LP gas prices will not change, gov’t says; Azuay needs more judges and prosecutors

Cuenca public utility ETAPA is advising residents to prepare for a severe drought. “All weather predictions call for a very strong El Niño weather phenomenon and this will create serious drought conditions in the canton,” ETAPA said. “Conditions will reduce water supplies and increase the threat of wildfires. The drought could be similar to, or even more severe, than what we suffered in the 1997-1998 El Niño”

The statement added that the drought “will likely” reduce the water level at the Mazar hydroelectric reservoir in eastern Azuay Province due to lack of rainfall, possibly forcing power blackouts.

The government says there are no plans to eliminate the LP gas subsidy and that the per-cylinder price of $1.65 will not change. (El Mercurio)

ETAPA explained that some areas in the western section of the canton will suffer flooding and landslides. “Areas at elevations of less than 1,500 meters should expect heavy rainfall for three to four months which will cause flooding and mudslides,” it said. “The diverse topography of the Cuenca canton requires us to be prepared for a variety of consequences when El Niño arrives.”

Effects of El Niño will begin being felt in the canton by November, ETAPA said.

Noboa nixes referendum plan
As expected, President Daniel Noboa has decided not to send a question to voters that would eliminate the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control (Cpccs). The question was approved by the Constitutional Court in June.

According to Carlos Aguinaga, former director of the National Electoral Council, the president would “almost certainly suffer a political embarrassment” if the question was put to voters. “These questions tend to be referendums on the presidency and since he [Noboa] lost badly in 2025 it was widely expected he would not put this one before the people,” Aguinaga said. “His public approval has dropped 20% since that defeat.”

The Cpccs has been controversial since it was established by the 2008 constitution for the purpose of “increasing government transparency and citizen participation” in government decisions. According to critics, it has instead been used to promote the interests of the president, particularly former president Rafael Correa.

LP gas prices will not change, government says
The Hydrocarbons Regulation and Control Agency said Thursday that no price hike is planned for LP gas and that the gas subsidy remains in place. “Malicious rumors have circulated that the government plans to increase the price of liquified petroleum gas and this is incorrect,” ARCH said. “This information has been circulated on social media as an act to destabilize executive authority.”

ARCH said that the price of a 15-kilogram cylinder of gas for domestic use remains $1.65, plus delivery charges from distributors. It added that distributors who charge more should be reported to ARCH or to the police.

The government expects to pay almost $700 million in LP gas subsidies in 2026. The international market price for a 15-kilogram cylinder of gas is $16.75.

Azuay suffers ‘extreme shortage’ of judges and prosecutors
The Azuay Bar Association says the province suffers an “extreme shortage” of judges and other court officials. “The lack of judges, prosecutors and defenders has paralyzed thousands of cases, some of them for years,” the association claimed in a bulletin.

“The government criticizes the judiciary for not advancing cases, especially criminal cases, but they do not provide the resources and personnel for us to do our job,” bar president Rubén Calle claimed.

“The reality of what Azuay courts face is very different from the version the government presents,” Calle continues. “We are criticized for delays and the release of criminal suspects, but we do not have the people to hear all the cases and to conduct thorough investigations. We need help.”