Heavy rain floods city streets; City Council approves new noise ordinance; Labor ministry apologizes to Abad; Other military related disappearances reported

Rain showers that began late Thursday and continued overnight have flooded streets and highways and triggered landslides in several locations throughout the inter-mountain valley, the national risk management office reports. In Cuenca, the rain flooded at least a dozen streets and may have been a factor in a fatal accident on the Cuenca – Azoguez autopista.

The national weather service (INAMHI) reported that moderate rain first moved into the southern inter-mountain valley Thursday afternoon and spread north to Colombia overnight. It said rain was heaviest in the south, especially in the Cajas Mountains and the area near Cuenca. The Tomebamba, Yanuncay and Milchichig Rivers were reported at the flood-alert stage late Thursday night.

The Rio Tomebamba was reported at flood-alert stage following Thursday night rains.

Heavy to moderate rainfall was also reported near the Mazar hydroelectric reservoir, northeast of Cuenca. The reservoir that powers three of the country’s largest power generation units, has seen rising water levels since early December.

Moderate rain was also reported at the Coca Coda Sinclair hydroelectric dam in Napo Province.

The INAMHI predicts more rain through the weekend.

City Council approves new noise ordinance
The Cuenca Municipal Council approved a new noise ordinance Thursday. The ordinance updates previous rules and lowers the decibel level allowances in residential areas.

Carlos Orellana, the city’s Environmental Management director, said enforcement will focus on noise produced by house and car alarms, loudspeakers, fireworks, motorcycles, night clubs and bar. “The new ordinance increases enforcement for violations, particularly in residential neighborhoods,” he said. “A major complaint of the former rules was a lack of response from enforcement officers and this is addressed in the new version.”

The new ordinance lowers allowable noise decibel level to 55 during the day and 45 at night for residential areas. The limit for commercial areas is 60 while it remains 70 in industrial parks.

Labor ministry apologizes to Abad
The Labor Ministry apologized to the Vice President Verónica Abad Thursday, acknowledging its mistake in ordering a 150-day work suspension without pay. “This apology is made in accord with the oral decision of Nubia Yineth Vera Cedeño, judge of the Judicial Unit of Family, Women, Children and Adolescents,” the ministry said in a statement.

In her ruling last week, Vera claimed it was not within the ministry’s purview to sanction Abad for a delay in reporting to a new job in Turkey ordered by President Daniel Noboa. The judge said Abad, who was Ambassador to Israel at the time, was working under diplomatic service rules that allow 30 days to assume a new posting. In its 150-suspension, the ministry claimed Abad was five days late in complying with Noboa’s seven-day order to relocate to Turkey.

Other military related disappearances reported
In addition to four missing Guayaquil boys, private attorneys and state prosecutors say there are at least seven other cases of boys and men aged 12 to 35 who were in the custody of military patrols when they disappeared. “The Guayaquil boys are not the only ones who may have been victims of military crimes,” says Paul Castro, an attorney representing a Manta family whose son went missing in August. “Today, we are urging authorities to commit the resources necessary in investigating the other cases as well as the one in Guayaquil.”

In comments Thursday before a National Assembly committee, Fernando Bastidas, lawyer for the four missing Guayaquil boys, said abuses by the military have gone unreported and unpunished as a result of the national focus on gang violence. “Now is the time to lift the veil of protection the military has enjoyed. It is time to investigate and prosecute crimes committed by agents of the state,” he said.

At his testimony, Bastidas presented a list of five men he claimed disappeared while they were in military custody. Three of the men are from Babahoyo, one is from Guayaquil and another was last seen in Manta.