Following murders, mayor wants military reinstalled at Turi prison; Emergency declared at Port of Guayaquil; National Assembly rejects anti-graffiti bill

Following the deaths of four inmates Friday at the Turi prison, Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora is asking the government to put the armed forces back in control of the prison. “While the soldiers were assigned there, we had very few incidences of violence,” he said. “Today, we see what happens when management is returned to prison staff.”

On August 10, the military high command ended the 18-month assignment of soldiers at seven prisons, including Turi.

Cuenca’s Turi prison was the scene of four inmate deaths on Friday.

National Police have released few details of Friday’s events other than to report that the deaths occurred during an argument between prisoners. Police first announced that one prisoner had died of gunshot wounds in the maximum-security unit but later said three more were killed.

Zamora said he plans to meet with the regional army command early next week to discuss the situation.

Emergency declared at Port of Guayaquil
An emergency declaration has been issued following threats made against a company that provides management services at the Port of Guayaquil. The government said the declaration was necessary for the assignment of additional police and soldiers at the port to protect infrastructure and personnel.

The threats to contractor Data Villamil came after the port announced that it was installing a new maritime traffic system that would make it easier to detect illegal activity near container ships at the docks. The new system will provide new equipment for spotting small boats used to deliver cocaine as well as detecting drugs being loaded into shipping containers.

The Guayaquil Port Authority said that personnel working for Data Villamil have received dozens of threats against themselves and their families, warning of consequences if the new system is implemented. Other personnel say they have been threatened with kidnapping or demands that they pay a “security fee” to avoid harm.

Following the emergency declaration, the navy said it was adding additional boats and sailors and will increase patrols near the docks.

National Assembly rejects anti-graffiti bill
A National Assembly committee has scuttled proposed legislation that would have increased penalties on urban graffiti artists. The Committee of Decentralized Autonomous Governments decided that regulation of “urban and street graphic expressions” should be left to local governments.

The bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Eliseo Azuero, argued that fines and other penalties should be applied to street artists who do not respect private and public property rights. “I have no problem with work performed with the permission of owners or of local governments if it involves public property,” he said.

In rejecting the bill, the committee said such a law would criminalize a “cultural practice of young people and stigmatize a popular art form.” Committee member Milton Aguas agreed that vandalism and damage to property should be penalized but said a distinction between art and mischief should be determined at the local level. “Graffiti has been recognized as an art form of young people for thousands of years, just as it has been criticized by old people for thousands of years,” he said.

Yellow fever vaccination requirement is dropped
The requirement that travelers entering Ecuador from Colombia, Peru and Brazil be vaccinated against yellow fever has been eliminated. “Due to the reduction of cases, the inoculation mandate has been suspended,” Ecuador border police said in a statement Thursday. “Tourism activities in Ecuador are fully operational without restrictions and we remain open to all domestic and international inbound tourism,”

According to the Pan American Health Organization, the countries most affected by the yellow fever outbreak in April and May, were Colombia, with 120 cases and 50 deaths, Brazil with 118 cases and 48 deaths, and Peru, 57 cases and 22 deaths.

The PAHO reported August 12 that the number of cases in those countries have “dropped significantly.”