A Deep Dive Into Cuenca Safety and Security

Safety and crime seem to be a lot of people's top concern, and it is perfectly understandable as crime, in general, tends to represent a risk to people's lives, livelihood and the properties they have spent so much time in building up.

We are blessed to still have a city and general region with very low common crime compared to other cities of similar size in South America. In fact, I can say very confidently that in over 10 years living in Cuenca I have only gotten 2 bikes stolen while they were unattended, 1 attempt to steal my electric scooter's battery (due to a mentally ill and troubled neighbor), and just 1 attempt from a drunk with a knife to come at me which was totally unsuccessful due to the level of drunkenness. However, having best practices to avoid being targeted or avoid making the situation worse can always bring better results, especially in South America.

And let's be clear, while the national news can be alarming, the situation in Cuenca is different. A recent report by the Observatorio Ecuatoriano de Crimen Organizado showed that while homicides increased by 47% nationwide in the first half of 2025, Azuay province saw a 53.85% reduction in the same period. Our region is the only one in the country with a decrease in homicides. This is not to say that we should be complacent, but it is important to have the facts straight.

The assassination of former candidate to the presidency Fernando Villavicencio can tell you that even a decently budgeted security detail cannot save you when someone is keen on targeting you. So, of course, this is not a guide for any particular miraculous solution that will simply save you in an extreme circumstance. The key lies in how to avoid being a target. If you focus on that, you'll avoid a vast amount of trouble, especially life-threatening trouble.

Let's work on prevention according to the types of threats most people face:

Scopolamine drugging is not new, however it is on the rise. The ways to approach you will certainly vary, and there is yet to be more evidence that suggests keen and systemic observation of the victims on the part of the criminals.

As many know, very unfortunately, a lot of people in Cuenca and Ecuador simply assume foreigners have a strong budget just because, and being honest, even though $1000, $3000 or $5000 is not a "big booty" that would be logical for expats to consider themselves a target for, you must understand for a lot of Ecuadorians that is an amount of cash they rarely see at one given time. That amount of cash plus a few valuable objects will be more than enough for an Ecuadorian to consider you a worthy target.

The first logical suggestion we have is don't go out alone for extended periods if you can avoid it, especially if part of your destinations is an ATM or if you are carrying a valuable object.

We go to our next strong suggestion. Know your town, and know it well. There are few indicators for most criminals of "this is a great target" as someone who shows that they clearly struggle to find their way in town. In fact, we grow up in different parts of South America with sayings that give reference to this. "Los caballos blancos y los pendejos se distinguen desde lejos" (white horses and dummies are detected from afar), among many others. The word "pendejo" in Spanish tries to characterize a very particular dummy that can be simply too naive or too unaware of his/her surroundings, or both. I mention this to make it clear to you that if you do give that appearance, you definitely increase your chances of being targeted.

Do not be predictable. Going out in a consistent manner, at the same time, to the same places with the same route, etc., is not an advantage here. Find a way to be comfortable with switching around your schedules, routines, routes and times.

Make an effort to know people and be known. You should definitely value the possibility that someone, a waiter, a parking watchman, a street vendor, a tienda owner, could lookout for you as soon as they see something suspicious. Be sure to be a valuable acquaintance or friend to them, and very likely they will be very inclined to intercede a dangerous situation for you.

Use technology whenever available. From apps that work as panic buttons, shortcuts for calls to friends or emergency services in your smartphone or quick dials of many kinds. Private GPS systems that notify friends or family where you are. Don't underestimate the power of technology. Not only can you use digital technology for surveillance and alerts, you can also use the traditional pepper spray to keep people away. Just be sure to know how to use it, and practice from time to time so that you know how to keep it from spraying over the wrong people or yourself.

These kinds of threats require a lot more finesse in mastering your ability to avoid being targeted. Sure, having a big trained dog (not a small noisy and untrained one) helps while you're at home. But, how would you do if it happens like it has happened to some people I've met who have had the need to leave the home for extended periods, and have gotten their home almost sacked.

Well, here's a few good tips:

• Vet very well who you invite over to your home. The fact people can take a close look at what you have at home, at your routine, at who else could be there or not, your surroundings, etc., is very key intel you don't want to give away to just anybody. Whenever you contract service providers such as handymen or other specialists, be sure they are known and recommended.

• Again, use technology. A decent security cam system might not prevent a break-in fully, but it will certainly aid tremendously if you decide to go for the legal route. Also, you can have some nice locking systems for windows and doors. It might not be easy, but try to work out with your landowner with plenty (I stress PLENTY) of anticipation in order to get some security system installed.

• If you are blessed enough to have honest and generous neighbors, find creative ways to include them in your security plans. Ask them to keep an eye and keep a consistent phone communication with them.

• Do not tell people you live alone unless you trust them and you absolutely have to. Do not tell just anyone when you're leaving your home alone and unattended nor for how long.

• Do not talk about valuable possessions and where you keep them.

There are very few things that can be done here to dissuade an attacker once he's decided to target you. To be frank, you should definitely turn in all your valuable possessions really quick if you're already at a close distanced from an armed attacker. It isn't worth it to be killed over a phone, cash, cards and documents, or even a car.

However, you want to avoid drawing unwanted attention? There are a ton of incredible tips for that, but we'll stick with some core ones:

• Do not go out to impress anybody. If you have some good sets of jewelry, rings, expensive backpacks or purses, luxury brand items, etc., don't take them to the grocery store, supermarkets, don't take them to the bakery, or the "mercados", etc.

• Stay aware of the people around you. Sometimes it doesn't take much to notice when someone around you is looking at you more than usual.

• Don't count money in the street, don't stay lingering too much after having been to a bank or ATM.

There have been few assassinations of this kind or attempts of assassinations in the past few weeks. You shouldn't be paranoid but you should also not be careless. As recently as this past weekend, a 71-year-old man who was taking care of cars in the street was killed in a sicariato-style attack in the "tolerance zone" in Cayambe. He was not the target, but he was a victim of the collateral damage. The attackers fired 10 to 15 shots and fled. This is a tragic reminder that even if you are not the target, you can still be a victim. Since the beginning we placed a warning over that area in our Interactive Cuenca Map.

It would be extremely rare an assassination attempt targets you unless you 1. Saw something you shouldn't have seen and the perpetrators identified you as a witness or 2. You are doing something you're not supposed to be doing. If you happen to be in the 1st category and you do not know what to do, please reach out to us at support@cuencaexpathub.com or at +593978970312. We will be glad to give you some guidance and keep your conversation 100% confidential.

What have I seen that are some of the common denominators of most "sicariatos" in Cuenca and Ecuador?

• The perpetrators come in vehicles, most of the time it's a motorcycle.

• There is always the driver and one or multiple shooters.

• They start firing multiple rounds at the general direction of the target

• They do not care about collateral damage

• Attacks tend to be well calculated in order to avoid police being in the vicinity

• They make multiple passes in the area to confirm they have identified their target

• Targets tend to be people who engage in criminal activity as well

There isn't much we can recommend besides:

• Stay aware of your surroundings so that you can take cover as immediately as possible. Know the neighborhoods you're at and ask people you trust about them.

• If you have to be in some mid-to-low income neighborhood and surrounded by other people, pick well your place to sit or stand.

• When eating or having a drink in low-income areas, try not to sit in the area directly in front of the entrance, or from where it is fully visible outside the establishment, and make sure you sit facing towards the entrance.

It's important to understand the context of the security situation in Cuenca. Our mayor, Cristian Zamora, recently stated that Cuenca is "free of cartels." This is very likely an exaggeration, but it isn't unfounded. There has been a lot of busts lately to important heads of gang cells and organized crime groups. This is good news. Then there is the comment by Mario Pazmiño, former director of Intelligence of the Army, who has warned that Cuenca's economic growth could attract criminal organizations that specialize in kidnapping and extortion. He also reminds us that the Turi prison, located in Cuenca, has been the scene of several massacres.

So, while we can be thankful for the current situation, we must also be vigilant. We must continue to work together as a community to keep Cuenca safe.

Well, this might be the most common type of crime in Cuenca. It's been probably the most repeated type of story I get when I hear stories about crime in Cuenca. "I was walking somewhere, a woman bumped into me and said 'sorry'. Each of us keeps walking and next thing I know I can't find my phone".

Now of course we have to begin by suggesting:

• Always check for all your belongings after abrupt and strange encounters in the street.

• Look well at the facial and physical characteristics of the person who stumbled upon you to make sure you can recognize him or her after.

• Stay right where the encounter was while the person walks away.

• Don't be afraid or ashamed to request help from a police officer or guard if you detect something is missing.

• When you sit down or establish yourself somewhere to eat or rest, be sure to not leave your personal belongings unattended and out of sight unless you are storing them in a locked place or someone in particular has promised to keep watch. You have no idea how fast your items can disappear when left in some counter, table or chair.

Now, it goes without saying that all in our team at the Cuenca Expat HUB always recommends that you make a follow up legally to any instances that require them. Whether you witnessed a crime or were affected by one, you must make sure to bug institutions so that they take your complaint seriously. Sometimes this could require you actually contract an attorney, because if you don't you might not be taken seriously or very irresponsible police and prosecutors could try to convince you that "it isn't worth it".

We understand at the Cuenca Expat HUB that these experiences are not easy to deal with and putting on top a legal follow-up that could become a drag can be exhausting. We will be doing our best to provide a very general service of connecting you with a proper match for legal counsel according to your situation. Please contact us at info@cuencaexpathub.com or to +593978970312 (WhatsApp) if you'd like us to provide you a free quote for this service.

We really hope this guide is helpful and comprehensive.

Be sure to check out our Interactive Cuenca Map which, among many other benefits, will help you find the best neighborhood for you and avoid many poor experiences. We at the Cuenca Expat HUB care about your expat journey. We hope to make it the best it can be.