Cuenca Municipality audit reveals ‘ghost’ artistic contracts

The Comptroller General of the State has identified irregularities in contracts executed by the Municipality of Cuenca for artistic and cultural festivals. The audit, which examined over $1.15 million in self-managed resources, revealed the existence of ‘ghost’ events that were paid for but never actually took place.

Investigators found that contract execution reports used outdated photographs and social media links from 2017 to 2022 to falsely justify payments. For instance, in one 2023 contract worth $63,375, local artists confirmed they never performed despite their images being used in the reports. Professional singer Verónica Tola issued a statement clarifying she was never part of the event and received no public funds for it.

The findings cover various festivals and services, including the ‘Te Quiero, Cuenca’ festival and ‘Amor por Cuenca’ events. Much of the scrutinized management falls under the tenure of the suspended mayor, Cristian Zamora. The audit highlighted issues ranging from unauthorized events to inadequate contracting processes and the use of fraudulent documentation to support payments for logistics, technical riders, and musical performances.