Expat Community > Ecuador

Laverym
Joined 2011
Posts: 16

Government Corruption

11 years ago

I am building a small hotel in Ayangue. My neighbor behind me is politician. His security guard is the president of the comuna. When I was 1/2 finished building my walls the Commecerio issued a stop work order under the pretense that they wanted to build a 20 foot wide road across the top of my property where the hotel will be located. That was 6 weeks ago. We have seen the mayor in Santa Elena and he said he will help but after that every time we go to see him he is busy. There is absolutely no need for a road across my property and there was no due process (no notice to me) that a road was going to be built. Even the lawyer for the municipio agrees that I am in the right. The builder is frozen and will not work without a letter from the government that the injunction has been lifted. This was all done because the politician did not want me building my hotel to the side and lower in front of his house. He will still have a view. I am regretting buying this land now and fed up with the run around I am getting from the government. I thought Ecuador was trying to get rid of government corruption. Anyone else ever have to deal with a corrupt government? I have a lot of money tied up in this project. This is the second major issue I have had with my neighbors and I am about 9 months behind schedule due to all the problems. These kind of things don't happen in the US. I would not recommend anyone investing a lot of money in a business in Ecuador due to the corruption I have seen. The courts are a mess and you cannot get anything done in them as they are so far behind. At this point I have no option but to push for a resolution. If I had known about such corruption and lack of transparency in the government in Ecuador I would never have invested there. Just a word to the wise, if you have legal problems in Ecuador, you will be VERY frustrated with the lack of concern by the government or the courts. Ecuador is not investment friendly. Just a warning to anyone thinking of investing there.

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