Amazon families struggle to treat sick children; Where to go for Texas-style ribs in Cuenca; Duty-free liquor limit is reduced; Work on new bus terminal advances
Hungry? –
(De El Mercurio del domingo, 4/5) El arte de unas buenas costillas (The art of some good ribs) – A few days ago, The
Rib Company opened a branch at the corner of Federico Proaño y Remigio Tamariz, with a Texan proposal focused on the idea of eating with your hands. According to restaurant CEO Osmani Aguilar, the inspiration was not one dish, but a culture. He wanted to have the first authentic rib joint with flavors transported directly from Texas where the food is not only food, but a ritual where perfection is measured when the meat falls off the bone.
According to a Azuay Province government investigation, some bus companies are over-charging passengers, including the elderly and disabled. (El Mercurio)
The restaurant sells the St. Louis and American ribs by weight and offers beverages and sides such as Coke floats, ‘Jack Daniel’s Lemonade,’ Smoky Pork Chorizos, Loaded potato skins, Mozzarella Sticks, onion rings, extra large wings, and desserts such as bacon cheesecake. His ribs are covered in a dry rub with 16 species, left to rest for 12 hours and then cooked at low temperature for another 12 hours. His standard is clear. If the bone doesn’t pull out clean, the ribs don’t leave the kitchen. The sauce goes on last and has panela, bourbon and garlic.
The smoker at Pájaro y Bestia is fired up in the early morning. Owner Leroy Kent controls the temperature of the smoker which is 3 meters of black steel, fabricated in Azogues from plans brought from San Antonio, Texas. For Leroy, the smoker is the starring tool for replicating the taste of his native land. He grew up with the scent of firewood and meat smoking starting at sunrise. He opened the restaurant at a small location in the centro and moved to a locale on Ordóñez Lasso across from the Oro Verde Hotel in 2023. The restaurant’s best dish is St. Louis ribs marinated in various spices and smoked for hours over applewood. He also smokes brisket, cooked for 48 hours, pulled pork, smoked sausages and 4 cm. thick pork chops. Sides include Mac and cheese, cole slaw, dirty rice, cowboy beans, and chorizo. The menu changes weekly, but every viernes y sábados he serves ribs pulled from the smoker starting at 13:00. The most requested plate is the ‘Big Ass’ combo, meant to be shared.
Curious? –
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5) Cruzada solidaria por los mellizos (Solidarity campaign for the twins) – <This article shows lives lived a long way from Cuenca’s comforts.> The twins Kara and Kasak from Taisha in Morona Santiago, whose story has moved Ecuador, continue their recuperation. The 3 month, 2 week old babies remain in their home in the Achuar community of Sapapentsa. <It’s not even on the map.> After being discharged from the Hospital General de Macas las 16/4, they needed to return to the Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso in Cuenca for a new evaluation and administration of medication on el 11/5.
Their history shows the gaps in access to health care. Their parents walked for 3 days through the jungle to Taisha since they couldn’t afford the cost of a flight. The babies were diagnosed with pneumonia and initially treated at Vicente Corral and the José Carrasco Arteaga hospitals in Cuenca. Thanks to the care from specialists, their lives were saved. Now the family faces a new challenge – the cost of the transfer from Sapapentsa. The trip includes a plane to Taisha <Which would be a little plane capable of landing in an open spot in the jungle.>, land transport, and basic expenses while their babies receive their treatments. This case is similar to that of the Sumpa family from Tarimiat. Their 3 year old son, Jefferson, suffers from epilepsy and also needs treatment in Cuenca after a stay in intensive care for pneumonia. The ViolÃn Rojo collective started a fundraising campaign. You can contribute at 099 802 8725.
(De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5) 13´822.790 ecuatorianos sufragarán en noviembre (13,822,790 Ecuadorians will vote in November) – The full Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) approved the update of the Registro Electoral (Voter Registry) for the local elections and the Consejo de Participación Ciudadana y Control Social (CPCCS) 2027 with 13,822,790 voters as well as the passive voter registry of 1,286,590 people who have not voted in the last 4 elections, nor filed any paperwork with the CNE. The information about both registries was delivered to political organizations which asked for it, and will publish it so citizens can file administrative complaints. <Now is the time to register to vote if you have lived here long enough so you can vote in noviembre. <I’m sure you’ve heard, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”>
De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5) Avanza terminal sur (South Terminal Underway) – The terminal terrestre sur is 28% complete with the structural steel ready. Site drainage work is in progress, and in the next few days, work will start on the facades. The current focus is on the roof to create the slopes to shed water. The more than $10 million project is expected to open at the end of 2026. Sebastián Jetón, the construction coordinator, expects that in julio, the 3 internal roads will be ready: the access to the arrival platforms, the exit from the departure platforms, and access to the parking lots. For agosto, he foresees significant advances to the walls, masonry, roof, floors and work on the potable water system, internet, and other services. In noviembre, finishes are scheduled along with testing security cameras, entry of buses, and other technical aspects. The City is in the process of contracting for intervention in the calle Beethoven which is the first access street to the terminal, a key to a rapid exit parallel to the Panamericana Sur. The work on Beethoven will start in a month and include walls and paving. There will also be work on calles de la Zarzuela, de la Ópera, del Charango, Manuel de Falla and Rapsodia. <Looks like that neighborhood has a musical theme for street naming.>
De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5) Operativo en Terminal (Operation in the Terminal) – The Government of Azuay reported that there was an inter-institutional operation in the Terminal Terrestre where alleged irregularities in the application of transport fares were detected. During the control by the Agencia Nacional de Tránsito (ANT), the PolicÃa Nacional, and other agencies, compliance with different fares for priority groups such as seniors, the disabled, and children was verified. <Were there bus companies charging old gringos regular fares? I remember contesting a van service that wanted to charge me the regular adult fare instead of the preferential fare. I persisted and got my discounted fare. Couldn’t have done it if I hadn’t learned Spanish.> 14 transport cooperatives were inspected to ensure that adequate technical-mechanical conditions were met. The irregularities were reported to the proper authorities to initiate sanctions, although the names of those responsible were not given.
De El Mercurio del lunes, 4/5) Senae ajusta lÃmite de ingreso de licor (Senae adjusts alcohol import limits) – <Bad news for all of you who come back to Cuenca with as much duty-free liquor as the law allows.> Starting today (lunes), the limit on the amount of duty free alcohol that passengers arriving by air into Ecuador can bring has been reduced from 5 liters to 3 liters. Sandro Castillo, general director of the Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE – National Customs Service of Ecuador) said that the change was to protect formal commerce since producers and importers who comply with their tax obligations sustain employment in Ecuador. The reduction avoids selling the liquor for commercial purposes. <I think maybe he doesn’t know how much gringos drink. Can you go through 3 liters of your favorite tipple between your overseas trips?> Just in 2024, tax free liquor reached 694,000 liters, showing a sustained growth that distorts the market. The increase from 3 to 5 liters, was ordered by the previous administration without a report on the economic impact to support the order and without complying with the established processes in the law in effect.
