Cuenca’s ‘Great March for Water’ steps off at 10 a.m.

Although they don’t expect to match last year’s numbers, organizers of today’s “Great March for Water” say they expect “many, many thousands” to participate. According to estimates, the 2025 march drew more than 100,000 and forced the government to abandon plans for a large gold mine south of Cuenca.

An estimated 110,000 protesters marched in the 2025 “Great March for Water.”

Today’s march begins at 10 a.m. at the San Roque Church and continues on Av. Loja to the Subida de la Condamine bridge, then crosses the Rio Tomebamba and enters the historic district. The march proceeds on Tarqui, turns east on Sucre and continues to Parque San Blas before turning toward Parque Calderon and Plaza San Francisco on Simon Bolivar.

According to transit police, most of the central historic district streets will be closed to vehicular traffic for much of the day.

Lauro Sigcha, president of the Federation of Indigenous and Peasant Organizations of Azuay (FOA), said the objective of the anniversary march is to send a message to the government. “We are telling President Noboa and the mining companies to stay out of Azuay Province,” he said. “We made it clear last year and that we will protect our water sources and our páramos just as we protected Quimsacocha.”

The march is sponsored by the Cuenca Cabildo por el Agua, the FOA, the Communes of San Felipe de Molleturo and San Pedro de Escaleras, the Federation of University Students of Ecuador (FEUE), and the Water Boards of Tarqui and Victoria del Portete.

Several expat groups participated in the 2025 march.

March organizers have asked candidates for Azuay prefect and Cuenca mayor to avoid campaigning during the march. “You are welcome to join us as individual citizens but we do not want the event used for campaign purposes,” Cabildo por el Agua said in statement.

Although active campaigning is discouraged, Sigcha and others admit the march is undeniably political. “This is very much an anti-government and anti-Noboa protest,” Sigcha said. “They are actively promoting mining interests throughout Ecuador, including in Azuay, and we oppose all mining.”

Azuay Governor Xavier Bermúdez, the national government’s representative, warned last week of “troublemakers” participating in the march. “We have no problem with a peaceful protest and government authorities, including the police, will be available to maintain order and protect the marchers along the route,” he said. “On the other hand, if radical elements in the crowd attempt to cause disturbances, they will be dealt with appropriately.”

Organizers plan a program of special events In San Francisco Plaza at the conclusion for the march.