Mayor proposes $300 million budget; Taste of the Middle East in Cuenca; Festival of Lights; Christmas concert; Gov’t makes New Year’s a four-day holiday

Bored? –
(De El Mercurio del viernes, 28/11) – Inclusión y arte (Inclusion and art) <Apologies for using a bad word – DE Inclusion> The Museo y Parque Arqueológico Pumapungo will have an event “Pumpapungo para Tod@s” from el 2-5/12. This event promotes <stop reading now if you’re sensitive to woke words and ideologies> inclusion, art and diversity directed towards children, youth and the whole citizenry. The program includes a Festival of Inclusion <There’s that nasty, socialist/communist concept again – you were warned about.> Scenic Arts, the opening of the “Pintar” exhibit, a solemn session “Liderazgo e Inspiración,” and a Symposium on Disability and Development. The event seeks to generate spaces for participation and reflection.

The 18th annual Festival of Lights Dec. 7 at the Plazoleta Santo Domingo honors the Virgen de la Morenica del Rosario.

(De El Mercurio del viernes, 28/11) Novedades en Festival de Luces (What’s new at the Festival of Lights) – On el próximo 7/12, the 18th Festival de Luces will take place in and around the Plazoleta Santo Domingo. The festival honors the coronation of the Virgen de la Morenica del Rosario. This year the organizers expect to place at least 7,000 faroles with the help of students of architecture and design from the U. of Azuay. In past years the lanterns with candles inside were inside the Santo Domingo church, in the plaza outside of the church, and on Padre Aguirre between Gran Colombia y Sucre. This year they will be placed on Bolívar between Benigno Malo y General Torres as well. They will be lit at 18:30 after the Virgen leaves her altar. Organizers are asking all participants to not take the faroles since they take time to make and have a cost. This request comes since in 2024 people took the faroles. <I hope they weren’t gringos who were ignorant of the celebration and figured they could score some Christmas decorations just sitting there on the sidewalk.> Another new feature is a serenade offered to the Virgin from the balconies along Padre Aguirre and musical groups performing along calle Bolívar.

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 29/11) Concierto de Villancicos (Christmas Carol Concert)  – The Arquidiócesis de Cuenca has organized the III Concierto de Villancicos with the theme, “Un Canto por la Paz.” It will be el sábado, 6/12 a las 19:00 in the coliseo of the Universidad Católica (Av. de las Américas y Humboldt). There will be diverse choruses including one from each of the 9 vicarates and from the Asociación de Artistas del Azuay. The program will also include the launching of a song book, “Glorifiquemos a Dios cantando.

Hungry? –
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 29/11) Travesía al Medio Oriente (Journey to the Middle East) – You can find Salatim which will transport you to the flavors and aromas of the Mediterranean in the Plaza Wayra. Co-founder Exiclia Silva opened the restaurant in 2019 and the menu includes dishes such as hummus, flafel, shawarma, and Israeli salads. In Hebrew, Salatim means salad and these are menu standouts including cauliflower with garbanzos and Morrocan carrot salad. There is also a line of hamburgers sealed with a special machine to concentrate the juices, and with options such as 3 cheeses, bacon and onion compote, or shredded beef. Refreshing drinks include Jamaica and pineapple with ginger and desserts include baklava, Basque cheesecake with pistachio cream, doughnuts and more.

When chef-owner Nasir Rasheed arrived in Cuenca 16 years ago, he fell in love with the city and decided to bring a little bit of his homeland here. Dubai (Calle Larga 8-81 y Benigno Malo) is a restaurant serving shawarmas and Mediterranean specialties. Rasheed said that shawarma is a dish very popular in Pakistan known for its versatility and accessible price. The typical dishes he serves were inspired by family and friends’ recipes in Pakistan. His specialties include chicken, beef, and mixed shawarmas; falafel; and Murguía Massala, chicken in a curry sauce.

Curious? –
(De El Mercurio del viernes, 28/11) – Feriado de 4 días habrá en el Año Nuevo – The Ministerio de Trabajo, Harold Burbano, announced that the New Year holiday will be 4 consecutive days from el jueves, 1 to el domingo 4/1/2026. However, this has not been officialized with a presidential decree. <You think Noboa might not issue the decree because he lost the referendum and is pissed off at us voters?> The Minister explained that viernes, 2/1, is not considered a holiday under the law, but it will be incorporated as a recoverable working day in agreement with employers and workers. This extra day will not apply to Christmas when the only official day off will be the 25th. The 26th will be a regular working day.

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 29/11) Campaña de vacunación para prevenir la influenza (Vaccination campaign to prevent influenza) – The Ministerio de Salud started the National Campaign for Vaccination against Seasonal Flu 2026-2026 which will end in marzo, 2026. The goal is to protect at-risk groups. $11.6 million was spent to acquire 4.5 million doses destined for children from 6 months to 6 years old, seniors over 65 years, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, disabled people, prisoners, and workers in health, childcare centers, and poultry and hog farms.

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 29/11) Presupuesto municipal de 300 millones de dólares (Municipal budget of $300 million) – Mayor Zamora reported that the draft budget for 2026 for the city is around $300 million, up from $258,666,265 in 2025, $250,482,259 in 2024, and $227,918,456 in 2023. The budget has been sent to the Consejo Cantonal for the first of 2 debates. The final approval should be done by el 15/12 according to the Código Orgánico de Planificación y Finanzas Públicas.

The budget will keep its emphasis on health, environment, mobility and land management. Projects in the budget include the restoration of the Febres Cordero High School, a patrimonial building in the Centro Histórico, the reconstruction of the parque Calderón, and construction of the Terminal Terrestre Sur. The construction of the $4.8 million Complejo Deportivo de Cazhapata should be finished in agosto, 2026. Other projects include renovating the Plaza Otorongo, wetlands management at Quimsacocha <now that the mining concession is supposed to be gone> and improvements to parks and public spaces as well as phase 2 of the La Compañía Bridge, construction of the Riberas del Tomebamba park, rehabilitation of the old Post Office building and the Centro Tecnológico Municipal de Cuenca.

Also in the budget are the reconstruction of the Ochoa León Bridge, restoration of the Casa Primavera, work at the Parque Botánicao, and starting the new Plataforma Itinerante in the Guzho zone. The $8 million Hospital Municipal de El Valle should start construction in 2026.