Esmeraldas oil spill causing ‘unprecedented’ damage; Air Europa adds non-stop flights; Cell phones banned at voting stations; Former Cpccs member arrested
An oil spill in the Esmeraldas River is causing “unprecedented” damage, prompting drinking water rationing and beach closures near the city of Esmeraldas. Officials say the spill was caused by a landslide that ruptured the Trans-Ecuadorian
Pipeline.
Esmeraldas Mayor Vicko Villacís declared an emergency Friday, a day after the spill occurred. “The ecological damage is extensive and because the river supplies water to city reservoirs we are imposing restrictions to municipal water customers,” he said
The Esmeraldas River in northwest Ecuador was declared an emergency zone following the rupture of a major pipeline due to a landslide.
The rupture occurred near Quinindé, close to the Colombian border. The pipeline, operated by state-owned Petroecuador, carries oil from Amazon oil fields to the refinery in Esmeraldas.
In a statement, Petroecuador, said the break was the result of “extensive land movement from heavy rainfall in recent days.”
Following a request by Villacís for help from the national government, the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE), declared an environmental emergency and announced that all available resources have been deployed to contain the spill. According to Petroecuador, a crew of 56 is working non-stop downstream from the pipeline rupture.
The Risk Management office has ordered closure of the beaches at Camarones, La Palma and Las Piedras, near the mouth of the Esmeraldas River.
Cell phone banned at voting stations
The National Electoral Council has banned the use of cell phones at voting stations for the April 13 presidential election. CNE President Diana Atamaint explained that the prohibition also applies to other electronic devices, such as tablets and laptop computers. “In recent elections, we have noticed that phones have created an unnecessary distraction for voters, occasionally delaying the voting process,” she said.
She explained that poll workers will be allowed limited use of phones if it is part of their work.
Air Europa to add non-stop flights
Air Europa flights to Madrid will be non-stop beginning in June. Currently, the flights from Quito and Guayaquil include an intermediate stop. The airline also announced the number of flights will increase from two to three a week.
The airline, which has been operating in the country for seven years, is partnering with Avianca to improve internal connections to Cuenca, Manta and the Galapagos Islands.
Former Cpccs member arrested on return to Ecuador
Former member of the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control Council (Cpccs) Eduardo Franco Loor was arrested Friday when he returned to Ecuador after being refused entry to the United States.
Judge Pablo Loayza said Loor “attempted to evade justice” in the U.S. on charges of illicit association during his tenure on the Cpccs. “He was stopped at the New York airport based on an alert provided by Ecuador to U.S. authorities,” Loayza said. According to the judge, Loor then attempted to fly to Colombia but was also denied entry and was forced to return to Ecuador.
Upon arriving in Guayaquil, prosecutors attempted to transfer Loor to Quito but Loor complained of complications of high blood pressure and was hospitalized.
Loor is best known as the attorney for former vice president Jorge Glas.
