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Ecuador’s Fight Against Corruption: Cuenca Leads the Way

In its quest to root out corruption and promote transparency, Ecuador has been taking steps to empower citizens and hold government officials accountable. The city of Cuenca, in the Azuay province, has emerged as a leader in this effort, thanks to support from the International Republican Institute (IRI).

Empowering Citizens and Holding Officials Accountable

Cuenca’s efforts began two years ago, when IRI started training local officials on how to implement access to information laws and hosting best practices exchanges. The goal was to help municipalities develop the capacity for participatory and accountable government.

Ecuador’s Struggle with Corruption

Ecuador has faced significant challenges in combating corruption since former President Rafael Correa left office in 2017. Corruption had become endemic at both the national and local levels, with tax evasion by public officials, bribery, and fraud in public procurement processes all too common.

IRI’s Vulnerabilities to Corruption Approach (VCA)

IRI’s VCA was implemented in Cuenca in 2017, aimed at identifying anti-corruption priorities, supporting institutional transparency initiatives, and improving the capacity of local authorities. The city has made significant progress since then, with officials from Cuenca sharing their experiences with other municipalities across the country.

Success Stories

• In September 2018, IRI hosted a best practices exchange for municipal officials in Quito, where Esteban Segarra, former director of Cuenca’s Transparency Unit, shared the city’s successes implementing local Open Government Ordinance initiatives.
• The following year, Jorge Moscoso, now-head of the Transparency and Control for Corruption Unit of Cuenca, spoke at IRI’s national Local Transparent Governments Conference, where he signed a Commitment for Integrity and Transparency along with over 40 local elected authorities.

Ongoing Efforts

IRI continues to support Cuenca’s transparency efforts through multi-stakeholder roundtables, which bring together elected officials, civil society representatives, private companies, and the media to identify local problems and solutions. The city plans to establish a permanent dialogue roundtable with stakeholders to ensure continued progress.

Future Goals

Cuenca’s next goals include:

• Codifying rural participatory budget processes through a local ordinance
• Generating open data that is accessible to all
• Building stronger relationships with youth
• Achieving International Organization for Standardization (ISO) anti-bribery management standards

IRI will continue to support the city in these efforts, ensuring that local policies reflect citizen interests rather than those of corrupt officials.

Conclusion

By facilitating roundtables between citizens and government, hosting best practice exchanges, and providing technical assistance, IRI is helping Ecuador’s municipalities improve transparency and good governance for the people of Ecuador. The organization’s work is crucial in promoting accountability and minimizing the opportunity for corruption to thrive.