Jueves, 23/3/2017: Rain washes out roads, Transvia land transfer, Video uproar, Cuenca fiestas, French band at the Scure

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s agenda events –

Fiesta de la Francofonía – The Alianza Francesa has organized two concerts for this fiesta.  The first was Thurs. in the teatro Pumapungo with Rod Barthet, and the second is Fri. at 20:00 in the teatro Sucre with the group Feu! Chatterton. Free

Articles about –

Feria – Following the fiestas de Cuenca which end 12/4, there will be a 4 day crafts, gastronomy, and organic agricultural products fair with 40 producers in 100 booths set up in front of the Museo Pumapungo. The group Ñanda Mañachi from Otavalo will perform on the 15 & 16/4 in the teatro Pumapungo and hold instrument making workshops.  There will be exhibitors from Esmeraldas, Ambato, and la amazonía. (For you chocoholics, Pacari will be there.)  There will be artisan gastronomic products based in cocoa, cheese, and herbal teas.

Guitarrista – A young guitarist who is studying at the centro cultural Sono was one of 7 finalists in her category in the Concurso Nacional de Guitarras Ecuatorianas. (National Ecuadorian Guitar Competition).

Review – Tuesday’s poetry recital in honor of the Día de la Poesía was reviewed.

Another review – There was a storytelling event this past Tue & Wed.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Lluvias erosionan asfalto de calles (Rains erode asphalt on roads) – The Patamarca sector was cut off when the road that connects to av. de Los Migrantes washed out.  Other locations have dangerous potholes.  (It would be easier to just drive carefully than try remember a list with everchanging items.)

Protests – Bachilleres (high school grads) are protesting because millions are left out of the universities.  255,000 graduated but there were only spaces for 145,000 in the universities, leaving 110,000 out of the system.  Another sign showed 560,000 students outside.  (Accumulated over a few years?).

Slugs – Fare boxes in the buses contain perforated coins and coins that have been removed from circulation which are collected by the Banco Central and delivered monthly to the Policía Judicial for destruction.  Drivers say it’s gotten worse although the fare boxes have always had flattened bottle caps, washers, foreign money, watch batteries and more. Currently, only 20% of the valid rides (I guess that means you paid in legal currency or by card.) are paid with the electronic card and 80% with coins.

Election materials – Delivery of election materials started yesterday.  They went to the Oriente which is considered the farthest.  (And even if it’s not the farthest, it’s probably the hardest to get to – now that Cuenca has an airport again.)

Complaints – Both Alianza Paiz and Cedatos (a polling company) filed complaints with the Prosecutor’s office over a video posted on social networks that supposedly proves the alteration of results of a voting survey.  An ex-employee of Cedatos explained the Moreno came out ahead in the last survey, but they were told to reverse the percentages in exchange for contracts worth at least $1 million.  (So who benefitted? and how?)

Tranvía – Richard Patiño, Minister of Defense, signed the document to transfer 17.6 hectars of land on the Cuartel Cayambe (Cayambe Base) to Cuenca.  The city intends to sell the land at public auction and finish the Tranvía with the proceeds. The use of the land has to be for industrial logistics (I remember seeing warehousing and parking mentioned.) and not contaminating industries.  A new road is being discussed, and there will be protections for the banks of the Río Machángara.

Amenidades –

“La Historia del Rock and Roll” –  A workshop series of screenings of The History of Rock and Roll will be every jueves at 19:00 in the Museo de la Cuidad until 18/5. Chapters 4 and 5 will be shown tonight with a documentary about Bob Dylan, a performance by Juan Granda, and a video review of the Beach Boys.  Next week will be about Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.’

Internacional –

Brazil – The Attorney General of Brazil has asked the Supreme Court to investigate at least 9 ministers in MIchel Temer’s administration who were accused by ex-directors of Odebrecht of benefitting from corruption.  The judge in the case has also been petitioned to start investigations on another 83 politicians who can only be investigated by the Supreme Court.  (And these are the people who called Rousseff corrupt?)

Deportes –

El Dakar – The Dakar car race will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2018. For the last 10 years, the rally has been held in Latin America. The 2018 rally will be larger than normal and run from Lima, Peru with a rest in la Paz, Bolivia and finish in Córdoba, Argentina.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne