Blocked highways create supply shortages but gov’t promises help; More roadblocks erected; Conaie’s 10 demands; Kids summer sports camps open in July

Miércoles, 15/6/2022

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Titular –

Mayor tensión en el país (Increased tension in the country) – See articles in Informe section below.

Informe –

Sugieren buscar puntos de consenso (Seeking points of consensus is suggested) – Yesterday in Azuay, Mario Fárez of CONAIE, called for the populace to intensify the protests that started el lunes and ratified the demands proposed to the Gobierno Nacional. The demands are in a document presented by the Parlamento Plurinacional de los Pueblos de Azuay (PPPA) which is part of CONAIE and the Confederación de los Pueblos de la Nacionalidad Kichwa del Ecuador (Ecuarunari). Fárez said that against the difficult economic situation in which we are living, to which a political crisis was added, we are left with the path of enhancing mobilizations with greater force. He added that in this country, constitutional laws as a basic condition for peaceful coexistence are not respected. He said a minority in a social condition of opulence, looting, and theft is affecting the lives of the large majority. <Sounds like a good description of life in the US – how the 1% is sucking everything out of the lives of the 99%.>

More roadblocks were established near Cuenca by anti-government stikers on Tuesday and Wednesday. The blockages mean that food and other supplies cannot reach the city.

The 10 demands are as follows:
1. Subsidies – Reduction and no more increases in fuel prices. Freeze diesel at $1.50 and extra and ecopaís at $2.10. Repeal decree numbers 1158, 1183, & 1054 and start the process of focusing the sectors who need the subsidies the most – agriculture, campesinos, transport, & fishing.
2. Debts – Economic relief for over 4 million families with a minimum 1 year moratorium, renegociation of debts with interest rate reductions in the financial system (public and private banks and cooperatives). No seizure of assets such as houses, land and vehicles for nonpayment. <I bet the people taking the most advantage of this economic relief will be those driving Rolls Royces and Ferraris.>
3. Foods – Fair prices for foods such as milk, rice, banana, onion, fertilizers <not that anyone would want to eat steer manure>, potatoes, corn, tomato and more. No to the collection of royalties in flowers. For millions of campesinos, and small and medium producers, a guarantee of sustenance and being able to continue producing.
4. Health and education – An urgent budget since hospitals are facing shortages of medicines and personnel. Guarantee youth the access to higher education and improvement of infrastructure in schools, high schools, and universities.
5. Mining – A moratorium on enlarging the frontier for mining and oil extraction. An audit and comprehensive reparations for social-environmental impacts. Repeal decree numbers 95 & 151 in order to protect territories, water sources, and fragile ecosystems.
6. Collective rights – Respect for the 21 collective rights: Education; Intercultural; Bilingualism; Indigenous Justice; Prior, free and informed consent; Self determination for indigenous peoples.
7. Privatization – A halt to privatization of strategic sectors, patrimony of Ecuadorians (Banco del Pacifico, hydroelectric plants, IESS, CNT, roads, health and more).
8. Price controls – Policies to control prices and speculation by intermediaries in the market for basic necessities, to control price abuse in industrialized products in supermarket chains.
9. Employment – Policies and public investments to stop job insecurity and to ensure the sustainability of the economy for the people. Demand payment of debts to the IESS.
10. Safety – Safety, protection and generation of effective public policies to stop the wave of violence, contract killings, delinquency, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and organized crime that is keeping Ecuador in zozobra (anxiety, distress – your word for the day).

Paro pone en “jaque” a servicios (Strike puts services in “check”) – The strike is causing food wholesalers and vendors to fear supply shortages. One of the Feria Libre wholesalers travels to the north part of Ecuador twice a week to pick up peas, habas, lentils and other products. She said roads are closed from Chunchi in Chimborazo on, and thinks prices for products will rise due to scarcity. <I hope your home garden is well established and producing.> Domestic gas is also affected with a customer unable to get a tank of gas from a distributor on Av. Loja and Av. Don Bosco. Many of the bus offices at the terminal terrestre are closed. Those still open are not selling tickets until the circulation of buses can be guaranteed.

Más bloqueos en Azuay y Cañar (More blockades in Azuay and Cañar) – More roads in Azuay and Cañar were blocked yesterday on the 2nd day of the indefinite strike by CONAIE against the Government. The vía Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje was closed at Santa Marianita in Girón and in El Ramal in Santa Isabel. On the Cuenca-Loja highway, there were closures at the entrance to Zhiña and La Ramada in Nabón and at Susudel in Oña. The Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme was blocked yesterday afternoon at Marianza in Sayausí but was later reopened by police. <Travelers just can’t win. If mother nature isn’t throwing mud and rocks into the road, strikers are throwing trees across it.> The Panamericana is closed in Cañar in at least 4 points between the cantons of Cañar and Suscal.

Garantizan el abastecimiento de productos (Supply of products guaranteed) – Yesterday, representatives of government institutions announced that in case of shortages of food, medicines and other services, they will shuffle alternatives for the tranquility of the population. Governor Matías Abad spoke of the possibility of activating an air bridge or other mechanism to allow supply of products. He also mentioned the support of the Policía Nacional and Fuerzas Armadas who would make supply chains if necessary. <I’m imagining an 800 km. long line of cops and soldiers passing buckets of potatoes, veggies, and lots of aspirin, Xanax and Valium from hand to hand, from Ibarra to Loja.>

Cuenca –

Ecuatorianos leen un libro y medio al año (Ecuadorians read one and a half books a year) – María Elena Mahcuca, minister of Cultura y Patrimonio was interviewed about the results of la Encuesta de hábitos lectores (Survey on reading habits). The survey asked about 15,000 people between 5 & 65 about their reading habits. An average of 1-1/2 books was read per year. Most reading was done at home, and young people mostly read school books. The survey also asked what types of cultural consumption Ecuadorians participated in. Popular fiestas came in high, movies came in low. Watching YouTube videos on the internet was also popular.

Deportes –

Colonias 2022 de FDA tendrán un aforo del 100% (FDA’s 2022 Camps will have 100% capacity) – The Vacation Camps of the Federación Deportiva del Azuay 2022 will start el lunes, 11/7 and run until el 12/8. Registration will start el lunes, 20/6 at the Complejo Bolivariano (next to the Olympic Pool), Complejo de Totoracocha (Polideportivo), and the Pista de Bicicross de La Concordia. Fees run from $13 to $35 depending on the sport. Sports include chess, speed walking <looking for the next Jefferson Pérez>, dancing, basketball, billiards, boxing, cycling, crossfit, climbing, futbol, gymnastics, judo, karate, weightlifting, olympic wrestling,swimming, skating, ornamental jumps, squash, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, archery, triathlon, and indoor volleyball. <I’m hoping not all of my readers are of tercera edad and that some of you have kids who want to get out of the house, or who you want to get out of the house during summer vacation.>

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne