Prosecutor targets Correa in 2012 kidnapping case
Federal prosecutor Paúl Pérez is asking the National Court of Justice to add former president Rafael Correa to a list of suspects in a 2012 kidnapping in Bogota, Colombia. The kidnapping of Fernando Balda, a critic
of Correa’s government and ex-member of the National Assembly, has been called an act of “political reprisal” by Pérez. Correa gave video testimony in the case on May 25, claiming he knew nothing about it. Several former government officials have been arrested as a result of the investigation and a warrant for the arrest of the former director Ecuador’s intelligence agency has been issued. Correa reacted angrily to Pérez’s request, saying he is the victim of “lawfare” by the government of President Lenin Moreno.
Mayor insists tram project will be finished in October
Despite delays in materials deliveries, Cuenca Mayor Marcelo Cabrera says construction of the city’s tram will be finished on schedule, in October. The mayor made the comment after the city project manager said that progress on the project stands at 39 percent while 60 percent of the contract period has elapsed. “The ACTN consortium tells me that they will make up lost time resulting from availability problems of materials,” Cabrera said. According to ACTN, work is currently concentrated in the Civic Plaza area of the historic district, in Milchichig and at the intersection of Avs. España and Gil Ramírez Dávalos.
Yoko Ono exhibit targets gender violence
Japanese artist and former partner of John Lennon is hosting a multimedia exhibit in Quito highlighting the personal accounts of victims of domestic violence. Ono says the theme of the show is to provide healing and catharsis for victims as well as to raise consciousness of gender violence in the general population. The exhibit opens June 23 in the Metropolitan Cultural Center.
Pumapungo Museum opens meeting room to the public
Cuenca’s Pumapungo Museum is offering a large reading and meeting room for public use. Called the Libroteca, the public space will be available to all audiences but will emphasize activities for children. “Our priority is to encourage reading and learning activities for school-age children,” says Juliana Vega, the museum’s educational director. Among the activities planned are workshops about “food heritage,” which includes a tour of the vegetable gardens on the museum grounds, and a children’s art exhibit. “The space will open to people of all ages since the process of education never ends,” Vega says.
Exhibition by Mexican artist Hector Martinez
The Saladentro Gallery is hosting an exhibit by renowned Mexican artist Hector Martinez. The show, titled “In Octo Oculli: En el ojo del Huracan,” opens Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m. and continues through June 28. Saladentro is located at Paseo Tres de Noviembre 4-78.