Ecuador receives first IMF loan disbursement; Visit Santa Isabel’s ‘magic waterfall’; Thieves work Corpus Christi crowds; Gasoline subsidy is targeted

Domingo, 2/6/24

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Una ‘cascada mágica’ tiene Santa Isabel (Santa Isabel has a ‘magic waterfall’) – In the community of Pedernales, Shaglli Parish, Santa Isabel canton, is the río Chorrohuaico which has a magical waterfall. The river flows over large rocks and part of it creates a waterfall that looks like a sheet covering the rocks which descend in huge steps. The La Sábana (The Sheet – just like the ones on the bed, and your word for the day) Falls starts at 3,448 meters above sea level, but the zone is not adapted for visitors. <So you serious hikers better get up there and see it before the path is full of tourists in unsuitable footwear and before all the vendors selling salchipapas.> For now, only the family of Silvio Criollo, which lives at the main access to the falls 700 meters away, is there to welcome you to this magical place.

La Sábana waterfall near Santa Isabel is open to tourists but extreme caution is advised due to the rocky terrain. (El Mercurio)

You should be careful hiking in the area, especially if you want to get into the river. The rocks are slippery and a fall could be serious. If you walk upstream, you will come to the highest fall of about 12 meters. This is the main fall and the biggest “sábana.” If the current isn’t too high, you can bath in a small pond in the middle of the falls. For the boldest visitors, you can go upstream on natural paths next to the river to get to the highest part of the main falls. There are large rocks you can use to cross the river, but caution is recommended since a slip could cause a serious fall. <And you’re not water – you have breakable bones.> There is also a pond formed by the constant action of the water in this area.

There are 3 ways to get there from Cuenca. The closest is via San Fernando canton, 83 km., but the state of the road limits visitors. You need a car with high clearance, or you can rent a pick-up truck in San Fernando for about $20. The 2nd alternative is via Santa Isabel canton, then Shaglli, and finally Pedernales. This route is 111 km., but the roads are better. <Remember “better” is relative. This just might mean that the potholes aren’t as deep.> The last is on the vía a Can Can. When you get to the Pedernales church, you go 1.5 km. further towards the río Chorrohuaico bridge and turn right and go to 1.3 km. to Silvio Criollo’s house which is closest to the falls. The falls are less than 1 km. away. If you have a high-clearance car you can get to within 200 m. of this paradise.

Seguridad y recomendaciones (Safety and recommendations) – There are risks in visiting the falls, above all if you’re going with small children. If you get to the high part, don’t get too close to the top of the falls. Hiking and water shoes or boots and a windbreaker are recommended. If you want to eat there, the Silvio Criollo family can prepare a meal with advance notice. Call them on their landline at 3015-812 or on their cellphone at 098 164 0477. <And I’d be really surprised if you could make yourself understood in English. And even more surprised if you’re one of those English speakers who believe that yelling will automatically make a Spanish speaker understand an English speaker. Heck, I’d be surprised if I could make myself understood in Spanish.>

Sucesos –

De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5 (1 article):
Robos de “oportunidad” en las fiestas de Corpus Christi (Opportunistic thefts during Corpus Christi festivities) – Robberies of citizen’s belongings were reported on el jueves, 30/5, the 1st day of Corpus Christi in the Centro Histórico streets. That night, there were large crowds around the Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción and parque Calderón. These circumstances were taken advantage of by opportunistic thieves to steal purses, phones, money and other belongings from people in the crowd as well as from cars parked on the streets.

Pablo Cueva, director of the Consejo de Seguridad (CSC) said that it has coordinated with the preventive and investigative arm of the Policía Nacional as well as other institutions. There will be plain clothes police circulating in the crowds. People who left their vehicles at some distance from the Parque Calderón returned to find things missing.

From el 30/5 to the next 8/6, streets in the Centro Histórico will be pedestrianized after 18:30 and there will be no access for vehicles going to the area around Parque Calderón. EMOV is in charge of this operation of restricting vehicular access and there have been 3 parking lots for people who are going to the festivities at night – the mercado 10 de Agosto lot, the 9 de Octuber lot, and the one under Parque de la Madre. These will be open until midnight.

Nacional –

De El Mercurio del sábado, 2/5 (2 articles):

Gobierno prevé eliminar subsidio a las gasolinas (Government plans to eliminate gas subsidies) – The Government had planned to deliver its plan to focus on fuels in the middle of this year, including eliminating subsidies on Ecopaís and Extra gas but leaving Diésel and domestic gas alone. According to Roberto Luque, Ministerio de Energía, the gasolines would be sold at international prices without a subsidy. What will apply will be a compensation to affected sectors, mostly in transportation. Currently, Extra and Ecopaís prices have been frozen at $2.46 which was established after the last national strike. <Think there’s a connection between this subsidy elimination and the following article?>

FMI aprueba crédito de USD 4.000 millones (IMF approves $4 billion loan) – The International Monetary Fund approved a new agreement, extended by 48 months, for $4 billion. Ecuador can access a disbursement of $1 billion immediately. This agreement which incorporated the lessons learned last year, was approved during Lenin Moreno’s adminstration in septiembre de 2020 when the IMF delivered a loan of $6.5 billion. In an announcement, the IMF said the program’s objective is to support Ecuadorian policies to stabilize the economy, to safeguard dollarization, and lay the groundwork to create sustainable and inclusive growth. The IMF added that Ecuadorian authorities have developed a solid plan and have started to adopt important policy measures to address the liquidity and fiscal situation. Juan Carlos Vega, minister of the Economía y Finanzas, said that approval of this loan shows the IMF’s support for the country’s economic program. It also opens the doors for Ecuador to get credit from other international organisms such as the World Bank.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper (please don’t ask her for them). If information is incorrect, it is the responsibility of El Mercurio. The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.