300 prisoners arrive in Cuenca; National Assembly hits the road; Dance festival, Argentine song and dance, comedy on the agenda; Centrosur cleans up

Bored? –
(De El Mercurio del viernes, 17/4) – VII Festival mantiene la ‘Tradición Corazonista’ (The 7th Festival maintains the ‘Corazonista Tradition’) – The VII Festival Interinstitucional de Danza ‘Corazonista Tradition’ will be held el 24/4 a las 19:00 in the coliseo of the Sagrados Corazones school. Ten schools will participate in dancing to tropical, contemporary, folk, and national music. Tickets will be available at the door and from the school secretary during the week before the show. Cost: $5.00.

(De El Mercurio del viernes, 17/4) – Antonio Sanint trae lo mejor de su comedia (Antonio Sanint brings the best of his comedy) – Colombian comedian Antonio Sanint will bring his “Org@smo” show to Cuenca el viernes, 24/4 a las 20:00 in the Teatro Sucre. The monologue will center on romantic relationships, daily life, and situations the public will recognize. Tickets available at www.meet2go.com and the Almacenes El Surtido.

Toquilla straw hat weaving workshops are being offered at two locations for beginner and advanced weavers in Cuenca. (El Mercurio)

(De El Mercurio del jueves, 16/4) –
Agenda for domingo, 19/4 a las 10:00 – 4 Ríos – 2 pedales (sounds like a bike ride) – starting from and ending at the Parque El Recreo on Av. 1° de Mayo y Fray Gaspar de Carvajal.
a las 11:00 – Freestyle Salvando Vidas – Plaza Cívica 9 de Octubre.

(De El Mercurio del jueves, 16/4) – Talleres gratuitos de toquilla (Free straw weaving workshops) – The Museo Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero announced its schedule of free workshops in 2026 with the goal of preserving and spreading the ancestral techniques for creating a traditional straw hat <commonly and erroneously known as a “Panama hat”>. Since spaces fill up quickly, it is recommended that you register asap at meiniguez@cuenca.gob.ec. The workshops will be given at different times and places: Museo Municipal de la Paja Toquilla y el Sombrero – beginners – from 20/4 to 10/6/2026, on los lunes y miércoles from 14:30-16:30 and from 21/4 to 16/6/2026 on los martes y viernes from 14:30-16:30 advanced – from el 23/4 to 13/6 on los jueves from 14:30-16:30 and los sábados from 10:00 to 12:00
Casa Amiga del GAD Parroquial de Ricaurte – beginners – from 24/4 to 19/6 on los viernes from 14:30-16:30 and los sábados from 10:00 to 12:00.

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 18/4) – Tras pausa, Ayllu Llacta vuelve a los escenarios (After a break, Ayllu Llacta returns to the stage) – The Ayllu Llakta group will return to the stage with a concert on el 22/4 a las 19:30 in the Teatro Pumapungo where they will present Live Sessions Buenos Aires. The concert will combine Andean folk and contemporary music. The show will also include the Wayrapamushkas dance troupe. Tickets available at Almacenes La Victoria. Cost: $10.00.

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 18/4) – Ciclo formativo sobre el patrimonio Cañari-Inca (Educational Series on Cañari-Inca Heritage) – As part of the Día Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural, celebrated every 18/4, the Instituto Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural (INPC) announced an educational cycle focused on valuing the history and culture of the Cañari-Inca territory. This initiative is organized with the Complejo Arqueológico Ingapirca with specialists in areas such as history, patrimony, and tourism. The cycle is geared for tourist guides, cultural managers, media, and the general <Spanish speaking> public. Sessions will be on the 23 & 30/4 and the 28/5. Spaces are limited. Free. <For the place and times, ask AI or Google. If you need a translator, you’re on your own.>

(De El Mercurio del sábado, 18/4) – Talleres gratuitos abre el Museo Pumapungo (Pumapungo Museum opens free workshops) – The Museo Pumapungo is opening its doors from today (sábado) to el 24/4 from 8-17:00 with cultural and educational activities marking the Día del Patrimonio. They include workshops oriented towards rescuing traditional knowledge. On el 24/4, it will hold the “Cocina y vida cotidiana en los Andes” (Cooking and everyday life in the Andes) workshop at 14:30, and at 16:00 the workshop will be “Saberes ancestrales afrodescendientes” (Ancestral Afro-descendant knowledge). Those interested in attending the workshops should get to the museum a few minutes before. Free.

Curious? –
(De El Mercurio del miércoles, 15/4) Se notificará a operadoras por uso irregular de postes (Operators will be notified for improper use of utility poles) – The unit created by Centrosur (the electric company) to manage non-electrical cables installed on their power poles is at the stage of notifying those operators and proceeding to remove those cables. The first phase of notifications will be preventative, asking for updates to property records. After, gradually, notices will be sent that can result in sanctions. Centrosur charges other cable operators for the use of the posts, and will start with a verification of correct payments. Then it will identify inactive cables that affect the visual environment <All those “noodles” that make Cuenca look like a third world city.> Operators that do not notify Centrosur when they install the cables, do not pay for use of the power poles, or do not remove obsolete or unused cables are not in compliance with regulations.

(De El Mercurio del jueves, 16/4) – Traslado masivo a cárcel de Cuenca (Mass transfer to the Cuenca prison) – El Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Adultas Privadas de la Libertad (SNAI) transferred 300 inmates from the Centro de Privación de Libertad Imbabura N.° 1 to the cárcel de Turi in Cuenca with the goal of reducing overcrowding and separating members of criminal gangs. The operation was part of the Plan Estratégico de Intervención del Sistema Penitenciario (Strategic Action Plan for the Prison System). The Imbabura prison was overcrowded with 619 prisoners in a facility with a capacity for 302. Ironically, the transfer creates overcrowding at Turi, which now has 1,623 inmates in a facility designed for 1,362. In addition to improving living conditions, the transfers sought to weaken organized crime and restore control by the government over the prison system. <Is the overall strategy to keep shifting prisoners from jail to jail until they’re so dizzy they can’t think about organizing their criminal enterprises?>

(De El Mercurio del viernes, 17/4) – 30 mil dólares cuesta legislar fuera de Quito (It costs $30,000 to conduct legislation outside of Quito) – Since el febrero, 2026, the Asamblea has been touring the country, convening in different cities, and meeting only a few times in the actual seat of the Legislature in Quito. Assembly President Niels Olsen confirmed that each move to a different city costs the country $30,000. He said that if this is the price for being closer to the people, this is what they will do. <What would that cost in the US? 631 Reps and Senators flying first class, staying and eating at 5-star establishments and renting a stadium so their constituents can come see them in action. Said constituents armed with tomatoes and rotten eggs.>