Domingo, 13/11/2016: New peace agreement in Colombia, Tranvia bridge problems, Book fair in Quito

Hola, Todos – 

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming agenda events –

XX Bienal de Arquitectura de Quito – The 20th Panamerican Architecture Biennial will be held lunes at 10:00 in the ágora of the Casa de la Cultura in Quito.  The Bienal is the occasion for debate on the problems of city planning.  (Sometimes, the problem with city planning are the city planners and architects.)

Libro –  The political book of the year, “Narrativas Presidenciales y Mitos de Gobierno” (Presidential Narratives and Myths of Government) will be presented this lunes at 19:00 at the U. of Azuay.

Feria del libro – Carlos Vásconez will present his novel, “La via exterior” at the 2016 Quito International Book Fair on sábado, 19/11 at 18:00 in Auditorium 3 in the CCE in Quito.

Articles about – 

Museo de las Conceptas – The museum celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday. (Did anyone go and listen to the restored organ?)

Museo de Sombrero (calle Rafael María Arízaga y Benigno Malo) – The Sala Real was inaugurated as a museum space to show the history of the street which crosses various barrios emblematic of the city such as El Vecino, El Cuartel and El Chorro.

Coloquio – There was a colloquium on poetry in the city last jueves with 4 writers. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t plow through the high fallutin thoughts.)

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Acuerdo para convivir en paz y sin violencia (Agreement to co-exist in peace without violence) – The Vatican envoy to the talks between the Venezuelan gov’t and the opposition announced areas of agreement.  (Wonder if we could get a UN or Vatican envoy to the US to mediate between the gov’t and the opposition when communications break down?  Although the Pope wasn’t particularly neutral on the elections so the Vatican could be seen as biased.)

More peace – There is a new agreement between FARC and the Colombian Government.  You can see the modifications and new elements in the document at www.mesadeconversaciones.com.co although the complete peace agreement will not be available for few days.

Elections – The candidates for the ANC (National Agreement for Change), Paco Moncayo y Monserrat Bustamante were the second team to register with the CNE (Consejo Nacional Electoral – National Electoral Council). Moncayo would repeal the Código Integral Penal and the Ley de Comunicacion (Code of Criminal Procedure and the Law of Communication).

Prisión preventiva – A court ordered preventive prison and a freezing of assets for an ex-director of Petroecuador, a deputy manager at the Esmeraldas Refinery and another citizen for investigative purposes. Property searches turned up more than $300,000 hidden in paper bags, drawers, store rooms and above a false ceiling.  (I guess this cash eventually would wind up in an offshore account.)

Tranvía – Work has stopped or slowed due to lack of money and the dispute with the Spanish project management company.  The work on the bridges over the the Tomebamba and Yanuncay is “paralizados” (paralyzed – a good word for the day).  The City and the CCRC (Consorcio de los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca) are negotiating to figure out how to legally and technically continue the work.  The bridge across the Tomebamba will not open on schedule, and an alternate route might be to make Los Cedros 2 way to connect Del Tejar with 3 de Noviembre.  (Does the line of floats for the Paseo del Niño Viajero usually go past the Tomebamba bridge? If so, where are they going to have people assemble?)

Acualidades – Articles about – 

UN Habitat III Summit  and urbanization and planning.
Still no Ecuadorian access to the Amazon on the Río Marañón-Amazonas after 18 years of peace.  (The peace referred to is between Perú and Ecuador which fought a war in 1995.  Did you know that?)

Schizophrenia.

Ancestral cultures of Ecuador.

Rehab after sports injuries.

Amenidades – 

Videos – “Viajando por Ecuador” (Traveling in Ecuador) – This tourist project created by 4 talented Cuencanos shows videos of unknown corners of the country.  The first was to Naranjal and the second was during Cuenca’s Independence celebrations. You can see them on Facebook: Viajando por Ecuador and Instagram @viajandoporecuador.  (If they’re any good, let me know and I might rethink my non-use of Facebook.)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne