Assembly president warns of ‘seditious plan’; Local mercados are stocked with Carnaval supplies; Covid is in decline; Cuenca has the highest vax rate at 95%

Miércoles, 23 /2/2022

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Monda & Lironda junta la crítica cultural y escritura (Monda & Lironda brings together cultural criticism and writing) – Monda & Lironda, the on-line magazine of the Casa de la Cultura Núcleo del Azua, was launched today. It includes poetry and narrative writing by Ecuadorian authors, articles and essays; movie, series, song, and CD reviews; interviews of people in the culture sector, and critics. The magazine will be available for free at mondaylironda.cceazuay.gob.ec.

Repertorios listos para dos recitales (Repertoires ready for two recitals) – There will be 2 free concerts hoy y viernes. The first is an international violin concert with Pavel Sporcl el 24/2 a las 19:00 in the Museo de la Catedral Vieja. On el 25/2 a las 20:00, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca will perform at the Teato de la Casa de la Cultura. The program will have “La fuerza del destino” by Guiseppe Verdi, the Symphony in D major by Georges Bizet, and Rumiñahui-Poema sinfónico which is a tribute to maestro Álvaro Manzano.

Titular –

Llori confirma plan sedicioso (Llori confirms seditious plan) – Guadalupe Llori, president of the Asamblea, is facing an effort by a coalition of legislators from from her own party, Pachakutik, correistas from UNES, and the Partido Social Cristiano to remove her from her position. According to political analyst Arturo Moscoso, the real objective is control of the Consejo de Participación Ciudadana (CPC) which has the power to appoint the new Comptroller. The Comptroller is who would decide whether or not to investigate irregularities in public contracting. <After that, things got too complicated for me.>

Cuenca –

The vendors at Cuenca’s public mercados have high expectations for the Carnaval holidays. (El Mercurio)

Ciudadanía expectante por la situación epidemiológica (Public expectant about epidemiological situation) – Around Cuenca, you can appreciate that most people are maintaining biosecurity measures, mostly the use of masks, with very few people not using them. Ministra de Salud, Ximena Garzón, said that once positive tests get under 5%, it will be recommended that people can stop using masks in open air locations such as parks. This could happen in abril o mayo. Andrea Bersosa, Zone 6 health coordinator, said that the latest COE decisions kept biosecurity measures in effect.

She reported that contagions continue to decrease with 800 cases in Zone 6 and 600 of those in Azuay. Occupancy of ICU beds has dropped to 50%, and at the moment, there is only one child who is hospitalized. She hopes there is not a rebound after Carnaval and asked for cirtizens to be responsible. <I wonder how much espuma a mask can take before it gets unbreathably gummed up and you have to ditch it?> She expected that with the vaccination of 3 to 4 year olds, 85% herd immunity will be reached. In Zone 6, 86% have their 1st doses, 82% their second, and 30% their boosters. In Azuay, the percentages are 88%, 86%, and 25%. Cuenca is the city with the highest coverage which has exceeded 95%.

Entregan mobiliario y madera plástica para la ciudad (Furniture and plastic lumber delivered to the city) – The city received park furniture and plastic “wood” from a project with EMAC EP and the U. Católica which promoted recycling of plastics for a circular economy. The picnic tables will be used in parks. Much of the plastic was collected by associations of recyclers. <I’m sure you’ve seen them – the ladies in blue vests who go thru your blue bags on recycling days. And I hope that you use those blue bags and do your bit for the environment.>

Olores y colores del carnaval dan vida a mercados (Carnival smells and colors bring markets to life) – The mercados are hoping that carnaval will bring customers back to the markets to get their maicena (cornstarch – to throw), mote for making motepata, and fruit to make dulces for the season. Carnaval fruits include peaches from Bulán, capulí (cherries) from Cuenca, pears from Ambato, and Reina Claudias (small yellow plums — two mouthfuls of juicy sweetness, best eaten over the sink) The products are fresh and vendors are giving yapas. Several of the mercados had gastronomic festivals today. El 25/2 from 11:00, there is a tour of the markets on a chiva carnavalera. El 26/2, the Mercado 12 de Abril will have a festival of dulces (fruit stewed in spiced syrup) and comida tipica. An hour after <there is no reference hour to say what time “an hour after” might be> there will be a festival of comida tipica of Cuenca at the plataforma of Miraflores. At 15:00 there will be a sesión solemne and artistic festival for the 32nd anniversary of the mercado 27 de Febrero.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper (please don’t ask her for them). The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.