Indigenous groups prepare to march for Yaku; Van companies take over Remigio Crespo; Clickbox brings packages from the U.S.; Pandemic drops flower sales

Feb 17, 2021 | 8 comments

Martes, 16/2/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Improvisada “terminal” en la Remigio Crespo (Improvised “terminal” at Remigio Crespo) – According to municipal property records, there were 16 businesses on av. Av. Remigio Crespo in 2019 which offered interprovincial passenger transport in vans. The Dirección de Control Urbano shows that none is currently registered with the Municipio nor holder of an annual operating licence although they started out as tourist transport. These businesses started opening 15 years ago and have changed this part of Cuenca, converting it into a small and makeshift terminal terrestre. In the area, 4 hotels and hostals plus some restaurants have also opened. In 2018 Batán Shopping opened, confirming that the zone is becoming commercial rather than residential.

Marchas para pedir el recontreo voto a voto (Marches to ask for a vote-by-vote recount) – Carlos Sucuzhañay, director of Ecuarunari, announced the mobilization of its base and other indigenous and rural organizations to support presidential candidate Yaku Pérez at a press conference yesterday. The action is called “Movilización por la democracia.”

El último viernes, Lasso and Pérez signed an agreement to recount 100% of the votes in Guayas and 50% in another 15 provinces. El sábado, Pérez sent a letter to the CNE asking for recounts in Guayas, Manabi, Los Ríos, Azuay, Santo Domingo, El Oro, Santa Elena, Tungurahua, Loja, Chimborazo, Bolívar, Cañar, Esmeraldas, Imbabura, Cotopaxi and Morona Santiago. A day later, Lasso sent a letter to the CNE retracting the agreement with Pérez arguing that Pérez wanted to impose the provinces in which the recount will be done.

Sales of Ecuador cut flowers dropped 17% in 2020 compared to 2019. (El Mercurio)

Ecuarunari is claiming there was fraud in the votes and that it is not an issue of candidates, but of defending the will of the people. Its argument is that logically, since Pachakutic won 27 assembly seats, it doesn’t make sense that the presidential candidate would receive fewer votes. Generally, whoever is at the head of the list brings along the rest of the candidates. <The coat tail effect.> He said that breaking the agreement between the two candidates was Lasso’s sole decision. Sucozhañay said the “Movilización por la democracia” will be joined by other social sectors such as businesses, artisans, public and private sector workers, ambulatory vendors and more. He also said that road closures and interruptions of public services have not been discarded. <I hope it doesn’t go as far as breaking into the CNE and building scaffolds to hang politicians they don’t agree with.>

Pandemia motivó a la creación de una nueva courier en Cuenca (Pandemic motivated the creation of a new courier in Cuenca) – The Cuencanan business Clickbox added a new location in addition to its headquarters in Totoracocha. Before the pandemic Clickbox specialized in importing auto parts, but expanded to meet the demands of customers who wanted other products from the US. These can be small things for personal use up to large items for industry, and will be delivered in a week. Clickbox are not ‘maleteros’ (suitcase couriers/mules), they bring everything through the legal routes, and payment is made when the package is delivered.

Gualaceo quiere título mundial (Gualaceo wants world title) – Gualaceo is seeking the designation of “Ciudad Artesanal del Mundo” (Craft City of the World) which is awarded by the Consejo Mundial de Artesanías ( World Crafts Council – WCC), a non-profit affiliated with UNESCO. Municipal authorities, with the support of CIDAP, are in the first steps of gathering the documentation necessary. They will start with las macanas (paños – cloths) woven with the Ikat technique. The city is hoping to finish all the requirements in 3 months and have the nomination in 6 months.

El MSP negoció 18 millones de vacuncas (The MSP negotiated 18 million vaccines) – the Ministerio de Salud said it had negotiated 18 million doses of Covid vaccine which will arrive in Ecuador this year, and that it will receive 16,300 doses from Pfizer this week. The ministry also said that Pfizer was also willing to increase the number of vaccines originally negotiated with Ecuador from 2 to 6 million doses. Vaccines in the process for Ecuador are the 6 million doses from Pfizer, 5.04 from AstraZeneca Oxford, and 7.05 from the Covax initiative. These 18 million doses will allow Ecuador to immunize 60% of its population over 18, and put it on the path to immunize the country in 2021.
According to the government, during the last week of febrero, the schedule for deliveries from AstraZeneca and the Iniciativa Covax will be finalized. the 16,300 doses from Pfizer will continue the phase zero or pilot plan which seeks to vaccinate 100% of hospital health workers and 100% of the adultos mayores (seniors) and staff in gerontological centers. When phase zero is complete, the priorities are for adultos mayores, medical personnel, teachers, Policía Nacional and Fuerzas Armadas (Armed Forces), vulnerable populations, firefighters, waste recyclers, strategic sectors, and the general population.

Bajaron las ventas de flores por el Día de la Amistad (Flower sales for Friendship Day fell) – The day after the Día de San Valentín, Alejandro Martínez, president of the Asociación Nacional de Productores y Exportadores de Flores del Ecuador (Expoflores) said that sales were down from 2020. In 2020, there was a 17% reduction in the number of hectares producing flowers. Sales went from $280 million to $245 and the number of tons exported went from 22,800 to 20,900. What was interesting was the structural changes the industry made last year. It adapted by selling in supermarkets and on-line as well as through traditional florists and event promoters. He estimated it will take less than 2 years to recover. 70% of the exports go to the US, 11% to Canada, and the rest to South America and Europe. <I thought Asia would be a big importer – especially China.>

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). The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.

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