Carnaval parade, other holiday activities in full swing; No lead-contaminated food products in Azuay; Cuenca’s cost of living is second highest

Viernes, 9/2/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Concierto sinfónico – The Percuta Quenk ensamble and percussionist Fidel Zaldumbide will be featured in tonight’s performance by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca a las 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo. There will be a series of percussion compositions with invited percussionists playing marimbas, the vibraphone, xylaphone, congas and bongos. The OSC recommends getting to the concert on time. Free.

Capacitación para artesanos (Training for artisans) – The Ministerio de Producción will have a training for artisans in paja toquilla (straw) el 15/2 a las 10:00 on Zoom. The subject is services and tools for straw weavers to access markets. Artisans and businesses who want to participate can register at https://bit.ly/CapacitaciónSectorPajaToquilla. Cost: free. Open to the public.

Thousands gathered Thursday night to celebreate Jueves de Compadres at the Alejando Serrano Aquilar stadium. Carnaval activities continue through Tuesday, Februrary 13. (El Mercurio)

Venta de productos – There will be a show and sale of products made by the Tejemujeres y Criso Joyería in the Aceleradora Cultural de la Casa de la Cultura Núcleo del Azuay that will run until 8/3. Products will include clothing, items for the home, and jewelry from Chordeleg. The entrance to the Aceleradora is on Luis Cordero 7-26 y Pres. Córdova. Free.

Titular –

Carnaval inicia con los Compadres (Carnival starts with the Compadres) – At least 3,000 people went to the Alejando Serrano Aquilar stadium to be part of the Jueves de Compadres which marks the official start of Carnaval in Cuenca. There was a large contingent of security, both public and private to control the access and behavior of attendees. The activities will continue through Tuesday, 13/2, with Monday and Tuesday being the official Carnaval holidays. El 10/2, a parade with floats and marchers in Carnaval costumes will start a las 9:00 in the Parque San Blas, march along Bolívar to General Torres and end in the Plaza de San Francisco. At 11:00, the motepata “mas grande del mundo” (biggest in the world) will be shared with 6,000 attendees. That night a las 19:00 will be the concert with Tito el Bambino.

Carnaval will continue el domingo in the mercados and rural parishes. Sidcay, Elo valle, Ricaurte and San Joaquín have organized events that include music and carnaval cuisine. The 1 de abril, 27 de febrero, 10 de agosto, y 9 de octubre will be open to offer their products and typical foods. <Time for hornado (chancho), topped off with dulce de higos and queso fresco. And cuy for you adventurous eaters. Mmmm.>

Cuenca –

Descartan que productos con plomo se vendieron en Azuay (Ruled out that lead-containing products were sold in Azuay) – Daniel Sánchez, executive director of the Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA) said that the lots of 6 processed products found to contain lead were not sold in Azuay nor in Cañar or Morona Santiago (Zone 6). There were 400 national controls carried out by ARCSA to verify the quality of processed products including spices, cookies/crackers, sauces, cakes and more. Of the total, results were obtained from 111 of which 105 were free from lead, with 6 containing lead. The names of those 6 products can be found on the ARCSA web site with the lot numbers. The results for the rest of the products will be released in the next few days. According to ARCSA, the primary materials were contaminated.

De El Mercurio del jueves, 8/2 (2 articles):
Cuenca con la 2da canasta más cara (Cuenca with 2nd most expensive basket) – According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos (INEC), Cuenca has stayed the city with the 2nd most expensive Canasta Familiar Básica (CFB – Basic Family Basket of Goods) at $821.88. Quito is the most expensive at $833.97 with Manta in 3d place at $809.94 followed by Guayaquil (804.91), Ambato (782.04), Loja (772.73), and Esmeraldas (767.99). Cuenca has the 4th highest Canasta Familiar Vital (CFV – Vital Family Basket of Goods) at $561.02. Manta is the highest with $604.00), followed by Guayaquil (572.62), and Quito (592.67). The CFB is a group of 75 essencial goods and services needed to satisfy the basic needs of an average household with 4 members.

The CFV is made up of 73 products which includes the minimum food needed to cover the energy and protein needs for a family. Both baskets contain food, housing, clothing and hygiene and more. The Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) for 2024 is $460/mo. which isn’t enough to cover either basket. In a household, more than one member would need to work. <Kind of like the US where it’s been decades since one income was enough to support a family. And now there are states relaxing child labor laws so that the kids can contribute to the support of the family since just mom and dad working doesn’t bring in enough. Sad state of affairs.>

Rents in Cuenca are the highest in the country at $243.17. Quito is is at 194.99, Guayaquil at 206.70, Manta at 208.20, Loja at 192.51 and Machala at 184.37. <I’m too lazy to put them in order, but is it really that important?> Tatiana Coronel, economist and market analyst explained that historically, Cuenca has had the highest rents due to different factors. One is that the price of real estate and land are very high compared with the rest of the country. She said that some analysts also posited that the arrival of foreigners made the price of leases go up. This may be relative, although it cannot be ruled out. <And you know those foreigners she’s talking about aren’t people from other parts of South America.> The cost of food and drink in the canasta are $262.07/mo. in Cuenca, 258.25 in Guayaquil, 289.36 in Quito, 262.34 in Manta, 255.55 in Loja, and 252.05 in Machala.

EMAC retira árboles en peligro de caer en la Paseo Tres Noviembre (EMAC removes trees in danger of falling on Paseo Tres Noviembre) – La Empresa de Aseo de Cuenca (EMAC EP – Cuenca Sanitation Company) is removing trees along Paseo Tres de Noviembre next to the Tomebamba River. EMAC is asking drivers and passersby to take precautions and consider alternate routes this week while the work is being done. EMAC is also removing eucalyptus trees along av. Primero de Mayo from Cantón Paltas to Cantón Sígsig, and eucalyptus in the green area of the banks of the Tarqui River at av. 24 de Mayo in the zone of the road up to Turi. The business is notifying neighbors about taking down trees in the La Calera sector on calle Salto de La Soga. Residents of Puertas del Sol have asked for an inspection of the trees along the Tomebamba River where there is a risk when the river rises and overflows.

Descuentos y compras –

ETAFASHION – 72 hour sale until el 13/2 – up to 70% off on selected merchandise, special prices from $5.99.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne