Authority and oversight of security guards is expanded; Cajas park clean-up minga planned; Ton of pet food collected; Años Viejos contest extended

Miércoles, 13/12/2023

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

El origen de la vida en museo interactivo (The origin of life in an interactive museum) – The Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE) opened its Museo Cosmos Educativo where its exhibits teach about the universe, life, and la Tierra (the Earth – your word for the day. A non-capitalized tierra is land, ground, earth.) The museum is in one of the university’s buildings in the Javier Loyola parish in Azogues. Museum goers can interact with the exhibits through augmented reality. <Not the kind of augmented reality you get by eating happy brownies or pills.>

The deadline for applying to participate in Cuenca’s Años Viejos contest has been extended.

Habrá minga para limpiar el Parque Nacional Cajas (There will be a minga to clean the Cajas National Park) – 3 mountaineering organizations have organized the “Gran Minga por el Cajas” to clean the park el próximo 23/12. Volunteers should meet in the parque De La Madre a las 6:00 to be assigned to brigades at 6:30. Departure will be at 7:00. The minga is planned to end at noon, with volunteers meeting in the parking lot in the Tres Cruzes zone with the return trip planned for 14:00. The clean-up will be in zones such as the Virgen del Cajas parking lot, the sendero (trail) Cardenillo, sendero Patoquinoa, sendero Ávila Huayco, sendero Oso Huayco, sendero Patul, mirador Tres Cruces, Hermanos Prado and others. <The article doesn’t say, but if you go you should probably plan to bring your own gloves and bags.>

De El Mercurio del martes, 12/12 (1 article):
Concierto sinfónico – The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca, the Coro Juvenil del Conservatorio “José María Rodríguez and the Ensamble Vocal del Coro Polifónico de la U. del Azuay will perform este 14/12 a las 20:00 in the iglesia de las Concdeptas with Vivaldi on the program and soloists Luis Paccha and Sergio Toledo. Free.

Titular –

Tres horas durarán los apagones (Blackouts to last 3 hours) – See article in today’s (Wednesday) CHL for story.

De El Mecurio del martes, 12/12/2023 (1 article):
Policía con apoyo de guardias (Police with support from guards) – The National Assembly approved the Ley de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada (Private Surveillance and Security Law) which would allow private security guards to do work complementary to the Police against insecurity. It also describes the progressive use of force, legitimate defense, and allows guards to use arms if needed including outside their place of work. It also would avoid the precariousness of their conditions of labor and guarantee their rights.

Gustavo Mancero, a security guard and member of Fenaspe, the professional organization of guards, said that guards need more training. Many security businesses save money by not training their personnel and inadequately equipping them. <Think about how safe you would feel going into a business that has a badly paid armed guard with no training?> Marlon Rivera, an ex-National Police official and inspector for ProtecGuardian, a private security service in Cuenca, said that guards would not perform the role of the National Police but can support it. He said security businesses should be registered with the Ministerio del Interior and the arms with the Fuerzas Armadas (FF.AA.). There are 400 legal security companies in the country employing 120,000 guards with 40,000 legal arms although 10,000 of those should be replaced. 45% of the guards are not affiliated with the IESS and are not receiving all their benefits by law.

Cuenca –

Una tonelada de alimento para mascotas (A ton of pet food) – The Comisión de Gestión Ambiental (CGA) announced that it had collected more than a ton of cat and dog food to donate to rescued animals who are up for adoption. Animal welfare organizations such as ARCA participated. Director of ARCA, Valentina León, highlighted the support for pets in shelters being cared for by various organizations in the city.

Extienden plazo de inscriptión para concurso de Años Viejos (Deadline extended for Años Viejos contest) – The Amistad Club and the Unión de Periodistas del Azuay (UPA) have extended the deadline for the Años Viejos contest. Neighborhoods wanting to enter can go to the Amistad Club offices at Pres. Córdova 9-80 y Padre Aguirre (next to the Hotel Allitaina) between 19-21:00 and fill out the registration form. The cost is $20. There is also a drawing for the 1st 20 inscriptions (or those received by el 13/12 <not clear which is correct, or if both apply>. These neighborhoods that registered early will be eligible for a drawing for a party with a stage, amplifiers and an orchestra.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne