Thousands of Cuencanos gather for Christmas lighting ceremonies; Comptroller investigates 11 city contracts; 13 die in another riot at Machala prison

Crowds estimated at 20,000 gathered in Cuenca’s historic district Sunday night for the annual Christmas lighting ceremonies. In what city organizers call a “corridor of Christmas tradition,” separate ceremonies were held in Parque Calderon, Santo Domingo Plaza, San Francisco Square and Otorongo Plaza.

Fireworks accompanied the ceremonies at Parque Calderon and San Francisco Square.

Fireworks were part of the entertainment during the official lighting of Cuenca’s Christmas lights Sunday night. (El Mercurio)

More than 7,000 lanterns were lit in honor of the Morenica del Rosario at Iglesia Santo Domingo, while a 32-meter Christmas tree with 1.3 million lights was illuminated at San Francisco Square. Four blocks away, the nativity scene at Otorongo Plaza received a priest’s blessing.

In a Sunday radio interview, Rosa Lloret, spokeswoman for the municipal tourism office, said “Cuenca is open for Christmas business,” predicting that more than 200,000 tourists will visit the city through the first week of the new year. “Our Christmas lights are the most impressive in Ecuador and we expect people from all over the country to visit this year,” she said. “This is a season of peace and all Ecuadorians know that Cuenca is the city of peace and security.”

Comptroller investigates city contracts
Ecuador’s Comptroller General is investigating 11 contracts by the city of Cuenca it claims were handled “irregularly” and may involve criminal activity. Among the contracts being investigated is the purchase last year of an armored vehicle used by Mayor Cristian Zamora and other municipal officials.

Ten of the contracts being investigated were executed under the administration of previous mayor, Pedro Palacios.

According to Zamora, the purchase of the armored vehicle followed a recommendation by the National Police due to attacks on public officials. The Comptroller’s office claims that purchase of the armored Chevrolet Tahoe at a cost of $172,000 was made “without adequate studies” to determine the need.

Zamora said he has forwarded the police recommendation for the armored truck to the Comptroller’s office.

Thirteen die in new riot at Machala prison
A Sunday riot at the Machala prison has left at least 13 inmates dead. It is the second deadly riot at the prison in less than a month, following the deaths of 31 prisoners November 9.

As in the earlier riot, most of the deaths were due to “asphyxiation by plastic bags placed over the victims’ heads.”

According to prison authorities, the riot followed a drone explosion outside the walls of the prison, which distracted prison guards, some of whom left the prison to investigate.

On November 11 and 12, the government removed dozens of “dangerous inmates” from the prison, relocating them to the new Encuentro prison in Santa Elena and other prisons. Following the relocations, Interior Minister John Reimberg claimed the Machala prison was secure and would experience no further violence.