Alleged Chinese bribery, Ecuador to pick ambassador to the U.S., SRI repo man, International film festival

Jueves, 12/10/2017

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s (Thurs.) agenda events –

Festival – There was a meeting Thurs. to organize the Free Media Festival. (I wonder when the festival is supposed to start – this coming Monday? or in a few months?)

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Editorial Cartonera – (Cartonera publishing) <You’ll have to Google it for yourself because cartonera is too long to explain. Basically it’s small publishers and/or authors who bind their books with recycled cardboard which they buy from the gatherers at 3-5 times what recycling plants pay. The books are hand drawn and bound.> There will be a cartonera book fair with works of 12 poets on 19/10 a las 19:30 in the Centro Cultural República Sur, in the Corredor del Sur Bookstore.

Festival de Cine – The International Film Cycle about Crafts and Popular Art will start el próximo martes with screenings of short and full length films. “Teatro de Marionetas Wayang” from Indonesia will be shown on miércoles a las 10:00 in the Facultad de Artes at the U. of Cuenca and at 19:00 in the Casa del Alfarero.

Articles about –

Enrique Males – This musician who participated in the dance work “Rumiñahui Cóndor Idómito 3” this week in Cuenca, was interviewed.

“Nacer” (To be born) – The play was performed Thus. in the teatro Pumapungo. The production is a promotion for the Loja International Festival of Live Arts, scheduled for Nov. 16 to Nov. 26

Exibición – An exhibit of paintings by Diego Sánchez is at the Librimundi bookstore until 27/10. He is inspired by nature and paints landscapes.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Líos judiciales asedian a Municipio y a ETAPA (Judicial mess besieges Municipality and ETAPA) – The Azuay Prosecutor has charged 6 people for influence peddling in the project to enlarge the Tixan water plant which is still under construction. The general manager of ETAPA, Boris Piedra, is waiting for the results of the AG of Azuay’s investigation to find out if there is any legal reason he would have to suspend work on the project.

Repo – The SRI of Cuenca seized 15 vehicles for unpaid taxes. The vehicle owners owe at least 3 years taxes, and have ignored letters, phone calls and text messages reminding them to please pay your taxes. As soon as you pay, you get the car back. <Says something about the amount of taxes owed. If it was large amounts, wouldn’t they seize your house?)

Parking – The parking at El Arenal will be managed by EMOV starting next week. Improvements will include video cameras, new lighting systems, signage, and private guards. It will function the way the lots under the parque De la Madre, at the UDA, and under the Mercado Nueve de Octubre function. The parking will be paid and the 500 space lot will operate from 5-19:00 except on miércoles when the feria takes over the lot.

Photo exhibit – “Universidad de Cuenca, 150 años de trayectoria” opened Thurs. a las 19:00 in the “Sala de Artistas Jóvenes del Museo Pumapungo” (Young Artists Room in the Pumapungo Museum).

Economic measures – Pres. Moreno presented his economic measures which seek to protect the local economy and help it to recover; to maintain dollarization; to give incentives to the productive sectors for the generation of employment; and exoneration of taxes from small businesses. He will protect the poor, and made assurances that there not be fuel or electricity price increases nor an increase in the IVA. He will send a bill to the Assembly that eliminates the advance payment on taxes for businesses with annual sales below $300,000 which is more than 82% of businesses.

Sexual abuse – At least 100 niños <so don’t know if it was boys’ school or coed> were abused by two teachers at a high school in Guayaquil. Dinapen officers went into the school after parents complained about the abuse. One suspect was arrested and the other escaped. The crimes were committed in the bathrooms during recreation, the victims sedated and recorded.

Corruption – Wang Yulin, the Chinese ambassador to Ecuador and Ecuadorian Sec’y of State María Fernanda Espinoza asked for the evidence that Chinese businesses were part of a network of corruption similar to Odebrecht. An informer in the Odebrecht case said that Glas and his uncle asked for bribes from Chinese businesses as well. <Corruption can be a capital crime in China – a pretty good reason to stay honest.> The A.G. investigated China International Water and Electric last Aug. as part of the Glas and Rivera (uncle) case and found no conclusive <Is that the key word?> evidence implicating Chinese businesses in illegal acts.

Ambassador to US – Ecuador will present another name for Ambassador to the US after Alexis Mera withdrew his candidacy after waiting 3 months for a response from the US. The Sec’y of State said that each country is different and some approve ambassadors in 3 or 4 days, and others take months. <And others may not even have appointed whatever official is in charge of approving ambassadors yet.>

Pagina Intercultural – <This one is for all of you alternative medicine folks.> 7 women have formed the Centro de Sanación Casaloma (Casaloma Healing Center) in Morascalle in Tarqui. They practice ancestral medicine using what is given by madre tierra (Mother Nature). Access is by a dirt road and across a field. <Just warning you.>

Amenidades –

Cabaré – This Guayaquileña rock band will be launching its 3rd CD at a concert on 14/10 at 15:00 in the Prohibido Centro Cultural (calle La Condamine 12-102, sector El Vado.)

Descuentos y compras –

Garage sale – El Hogar del Buen Samaritano (The Good Samaritan Home) is having a garage sale on sábado, 14/10 from 9-13:00 at av. 10 de Agosto 2-112 y Paucarbamba.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne