Hikers rescued in the Cajas; Hotels were full for Cuenca holidays; Assembly proposal would punish adolescents as adults; Turi fire threatened homes
Martes, 5/110/2024
Hola, Todos –
Actividades –
La obra ‘Mal a Sangre’ explora las memorias (The play ‘Mal a Sangre’ explores memories) – The Teatro de las EntraƱas group is presenting a contemporary dance work, ‘Mal a Sangre’ los 5 & 6 de noviembre in the Sala “Alfonso Carrasco” in the Casa de la Cultura. The solo performance takes place on a bed <You can keep whatever you’re thinking to yourself.>. The use of intense corporal language and a poetic visual aesthetic addresses deep themes. Tickets available through the social networks of the group.
Titular –
The higher elevation of the Cajas mountains, west of Cuenca, present special hazards for hikers.
El fuego forestal en Turi amenazĆ³ casa cercanas (Forest fire in Turi threatened nearby houses) – A voraz (voracious or ravenous – your word for the day) forest fire started about noon el lunes in the Punta Corral sector and extended towards the cerro Monjas in Turi parish. The Cuenca Fire Department brought in vehicles equipped to transport water to fight the fast moving fire. A column of smoke could be seen from different sectors of the city <and smelled, too>. The Fire Department is keeping up a campaign against forest fires. Some of the recommendations include not doing agricultural burning, not burning material from tree trimming and pruning, and avoiding all types of burning since the vegetation is dry and catches fire easily and can spread uncontrollably. If you cause a fire in natural or planted forests or the pĆ”ramos, the Penal Code calls for 1-3 years in prison.
Cuenca –
Feria resultĆ³ positiva para sector turĆstico (Fair was positive for the tourism sector) – Juan Pablo Vanegas, president of the CĆ”mara de Turismo del Azuay, called the holidays positive with a hotel occupancy rate that exceeded 95%. He said that strongest days were el viernes y sĆ”bado when some hotels were 100% occupied. There was also a reactivation of night time tourism due to the broad agenda of activities. The official numbers will be announced today (martes).
Ahorro de energĆa (Saving energy) – La Empresa ElĆ©ctrica Regional Centro Sur (EERCS) which serves Azuay, CaƱar, and Morona Santiago made a series of recommendations to save electricity. These included disconnecting the charger for phones and other devices when not in use, avoid opening the refrigerator door constantly and check that the rubber seals are working. Also substitute LED bulbs for incandescent bulbs since they use less energy and last longer. <How about turning the lights off when you leave a room? Channel your mother now that you’re paying the electric bills.>
Sucesos –
PrevenciĆ³n de extravĆos en el Parque Nacional Cajas (Prevention of losses in Cajas National Park) – ETAPA recommends that visitors always follow the instructions for visiting protected areas of the Parque Nacional Cajas to avoid getting lost or damaging the environment. For your safety, it’s important to register your visit at the control sites: Toreadora, Llaviucu y Soldados. Don’t start or continue your hikes after 4 pm since the neblina (fog) can be very thick with very low temperatures. Also refrain from entering or swimming in the lakes. <Remember that mythical serpent? Might be under the water of the lake you pick to swim in, and you’re the first fresh meat it’s seen in 200 years.> Pay attention to the warnings and signs that are posted along the access to and inside of the park.
A recent case of hikers getting lost happened el domingo, 3/11 in the high part of Llaviucu when 10 people, a 35-year-old woman, 4 seniors, and 5 adult men between 40 & 44, lost their way and were reported lost. ECU 911 got the emergency call at 19:53 and coordinated the assistance of specialized personnel from the PolicĆa Nacional and the Fire Department for search and rescue. Along with park rangers, they searched during the night and part of the madrugada, and found the hikers who were in good condition.
The people who were lost are montaƱistas (mountaineers, hikers) who had hiked in the Cajas before. They were on a 30 km. hike and entered the Lake Luspa zone. But at the last minute, they changed their route and got disoriented. They walked for more than 30 hours until they were found by the search crews. <So if experienced hikers can get lost, what makes you think you can’t? Remember the experienced hiker who disappeared a few years ago? As far as I know, his body was never found.>
Nacional –
Juzgar a menores como adultos entra en debate (Judging minors as adults in debate) – The Construye movement is driving a law in the Asamblea Nacional that would allow that adolescents who commit crimes categorized as atroces (outrageous, atrocities, egregious) to be sentenced as adults with the same penalties. Once they reach their majority, they would complete their sentences in a general detention facility. The issue is being analyzed in the ComisiĆ³n de ProtecciĆ³n Integral a los NiƱos y Adolescentes (Commission for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents) where Assemblyman Jorge PeƱafiel prepared a minority report establishing that teens between 14 & 17 would receive sentences simular to an adult in 5 types of cases: kidnapping, murder, hired assassination, extortion, drug trafficking, and those tied to organized crime. PeƱafiel said that the objective is to avoid impunity by organized crime which uses minors to commit atrocious crimes since they know that minors have a different penal system than adults. <So how does that change except that a poor and/or ignorant kid now gets an adult sentence while the higher ups who recruited him still walk free?> A report by the majority, pushed by correĆsmo and led by Pierina Correa, would maintain different penalties for minors and an independent disciplinary system.
According to National Police data, from 1/8 to 17/10/24, a total of 8,201 adolescents were detained, equivalent to 16% of the slightly more than 50,000 prisoners in custody at a national level. Just in the last year, 1,600 teens were sentenced for atrocious crimes with minimal penalties. Grace VĆ”zquez, a specialist in Derechos de ProtecciĆ³n de la NiƱez y Adolescencia (Child and Adolescent Protection Rights), said that that Construye’s proposal is unconstitutional and should not be approved. It does not meet Ecuadorian norms nor international ones on which Ecuador is a signer.
SanciĆ³n a los que los involucran (Sanction those who involve them) – VerĆ³nica PĆ³lit, a political scientist specializing in juvenile justice, was worried that while stricter sanctions are being sought for adolescents, very little is being said about those who use the teens receiving sanctions. This is in spite of specific penalties for recruitment of minors that have been in effect since enero, 2023. <But could you get kids to rat out their recruiters? It would probably be a torture and death sentence for them and maybe their families, too.> She said that up to now, the State has not sanctioned the crime of recruiting; there has been not one sentence in the country. While the teens who are victims are being sentenced, the adults responsible for recruiting and using the teens have not been.
The criminal structures are not being attacked, just the victims. Grace VĆ”zquez agreed with the need to change the violence and poverty adolescents grow up in. <Call the grammar police – not just one, but 2 prepositions at the end of a sentence.> In some cases, the teens are pressured into committing crimes.
And that’s all for today so hasta ? –
Jeanne
