Ecuador pursues free trade with U.S.; Banco Pichincha to vaccinate 7,000 staff; Government to sell 48 gas stations; Dairy industry asks feds for help

Miércoles, 14/7/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada.

Titular –

Provincias vecinas a El Oro están alertas (Provinces neighboring El Oro are alert) – See Wednesday’s CHL article for story.

Cuenca –

El Banco Pichincha vacuna a su personal (Banco Pichincha vaccinates its staff) – Banco Pichincha and its subsidiaries started the process of vaccinating 7,000 workers at a national level. A center was set up in Quito el jueves pasado, and after this first phase, families and providers of services to the bank will be added. The vaccination plan will be extended to the rest of the country with a total of about 40,000 people benefitting from this private initiative by the end of agosto. <So you won’t be receiving a few Corona viruses with your cash.> The bank has also set up a trust which has collected $16.4 million for projects in biosecurity, equipment, diagnosis of the illness, and delivery of medicines in all the provinces.

Petroecuador venderá gasolineras (Petroecuador will sell gas stations) – None of the 48 gas stations owned by the Empresa Pública de Hidrocarburos del Ecuador (EP Petroecuador) that will be sold to private parties is in Azuay. These stations used to be privately owned, but were expropriated in 2012 when ex-Pres. Correa declared them a public utility. The prices paid for the stations were below the actual values, and now preference will be given to the original owners to rebuy them as long as they don’t “flip” them. Of the 48 stations owned by Petroecuador, 23 are in the austro with 11 in El Oro, 8 in Loja, and 4 in Zamora Chinchipe. There are 31 gas stations in Cuenca.

Sucesos –

Ecuador dairy farmers are asking the government to stop milk smuggling from Peru and Colombia and for other support.

Intento de ingreso de armas (Attempted entry of weapons) – A man was detained outside of the Centro de Privación de Libertad de Guayaquil while trying to enter with fusiles, pistolas, municiones y cuatro granadas (rifles, pistols, ammunition and four grenades – your words for the day if you ever go shopping for arms.) He was reported by ECU-911, carrying a jute sack, and headed towards the perimeter security of the jail. After, an unidentified vehicle gave him a package. Prison security searched him and found 2 rifles, 3 pistols, 1 revolver, 500 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 570 rounds of 5.56 calibre ammunition, and 4 grenades. <Did he really think that no one would be watching?>

Region –

Integran frente regional lechero (Regional dairy front formed) – Authorities and ranchers met to address the issues of stopping contraband and the inadequate use of suero de leche (buttermilk? <I still can’t figure out this suero de leche business since I’ve never seen buttermilk at the store and have no idea what other use it has.>). They agreed on a permanent control in collection centers and on the road, interinstitutional operations, and for the SRI to provide the necessary tax information to small and large dairy businesses.

Nacional –

Gobierno quiere negociar un acuerdo de libre comercio con Estados Unidos (Government wants to negotiate a free trade agreement with the United States) – Pres. Lasso announced at the virtual opening of the “Business Future of the Americas BFA-2021” the Government’s wish to have a free trade agreement with the US, similar to those signed by Perú in 2009, and Colombia in 2011. Lasso remarked that Ecuador wants an injection of foreign capital, and to increase exports.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne