Lasso decree to lower taxes but add sports betting tax; Quito-to-Cancun flights begin; Classical guitar concert, therapeutic clowning and cultural agenda

Viernes, 19/5/2023

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Agenda cultural –
20/5, 19:30 – Teatro – Las damas sin perrito (The ladies without a dog <Poor deprived ladies – life is better with a dog>) – Sala Alfonso Carrasco.
22/5, 11:00 – Exposición – Tagore en el tiempo – Museo de la Universidad de Cuenca.
24/5, 16:00 – Taller (Workshop) – ¿Que es una fuente de información? (What is a source of information?) – Alianza Francesa de Cuenca.
25/5, 19:00 – Lanzamiento (<Book?> launch) – El Diablo Verde (The Green Devil) <A reference to the all mighty dollar?>) – Plazoleta El Vado.

The Mexican airline ‘Viva Aerobus’ announced a new direct non-stop route between Quito and Cancún which will start June 16. (El Mercurio)

Concierto y degustación en Saladentro (Concert and tasting in Saladentro) – The Saladentro art gallery (Paseo 3 de Noviembre 4-78 y Bajada de Todos Santos) will have a classical guitar concert with cuencano guitarist David Vázquez Jaramillo, and a blind tasting el 9/6 a las 19:00. <So what will people be tasting? If you get a blindfold at the door, will you even know what you’re tasting?> Make your reservations at 098-956-0920. Cost: $35.00.

Taller de clown terapéutico y voluntariado (Therapeutic clown and volunteer workshop) – The non-profit organization, ‘Sírvase un Payaso’ (A Clown at your Service) is organizing ‘Cómo perder el tornillo’ (How to lose a screw) < Easy for me, I’ve already got loose screws.>, a training workshop in therapeutic clowning. The goal is to train people in the use of artistic tools to help patients in health institutions with laughter therapy. The workshop will start el 27/5 in the coworking at the Portal Artesanal (Bolívar y Huayna Cápac) and last 3 months. During this time, participants will have theory and practical classes in hospitals in Cuenca. The training will also serve as the process to become a volunteer with ‘Sírvase un Pasayo.’ Go to the organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages if you are interested in this. <There are a lot of clowns in the gringo community, but I’m afraid too many of those take themselves way too seriously to be good at clowning.>

Titular –

Inadmiten demandas y ya pulen plan electoral (Lawsuits are dismissed and electoral plan is being refined) – See today’s (viernes) article in CHL for story.

Empresarial –

‘Viva Aerobus’ con ruta directa Cancún-Quito (Viva Aerobus’ with direct Cancun-Quito route) – The Mexican airline ‘Viva Aerobus’ announced a new direct non-stop route between Quito and Cancún which will start el 16/6 with 3 flights a week on the latest generation Airbus A320 & A321. This route can connect to 15 destinations in Mexico. The one way fare will start at $58 and the passenger can customize his flight by paying only for what he needs to carry on his trip. <Does that sound like checked or even carryon baggage is extra? But then how much room does a swim suit take?> The airline considers Ecuador a growing market and in 2022 it was one of the 25 countries that generate the greatest flow of air travelers to Mexico. <How many of those were one-way tickets?> This will also encourage more tourism from Mexico, which in 2022, was the country that occupied 6th place in the number of tourists to Ecuador.

Cambios tributarios en primer decreto (Tax changes in the first decree) – The first decree that Pres. Lasso signed after he activated the muerte cruzada is the Ley Orgánica para el Fortalecimiento de la Economía Familar (Comprehensive Law for the Strengthening of the Family Economy) which has been sent to the Corte Constitucional or review. This law would increase the limit for tax deductions for natural persons. Currently the limit is 7 basic baskets <of essential goods and services> or $5,327 which would be raised to $15,294 annually. It considers family responsibilities such as parents, spouse or common-law spouse, children up to 21, family members of any age with disabilities, and dependents of the taxpayer who do not earn taxable income.

Francisco Riones, director of the SRI, said that if monthly income is up to $2,000, the taxpayer doesn’t pay income taxes even without family responsibilities. For those with dependents, the limit for not paying income taxes is $2,200. This tax reform will put $200 million back into the pockets of Ecuadorian families. <Hopefully voting families who will remember when they go to the polls in August.>

The law also creates a 15% tax on Sports Betting Operators. The SRI has identified 16 of these businesses. This will be applied in 3 ways: 15% on the operators of sports betting platforms, 15% withholding on bettors’s winnings, and 15% on the amount of the bet placed when using a platform outside of Ecuador. Daniel Frías, who represented the betting houses, felt the law is positive since it removes doubts about the legality of the activity.

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.