Mayors march for money; Candidates should address poverty; CIDAP promotes artisans; Students without digital access struggle, some get free computers

Jueves, 4/3/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

De la pagina educación y cultura –

Semana de la artesanía y diseño alista el CIDAP (CIDAP readies craft and design week) – So that the traditional spaces in which artisans work don’t disappear, CIDAP is organizing a series of workshops, conference and talks on the need to activate techniques which are being lost. The ARDIS project will be from 1-9/4 with emphasis on textile arts. It will have two parts. In the first, artisans, designers and the public can participate in training given by international professionals. Registration is required and will be available on CIDAP’s social networks. The second will be a crafts show and sale from 1-4/4 at CIDAP. As part of the event, CIDAP will award a medal for Diseño e Innovación Artesanal ARDIS 2021 for a contemporary textile piece. Interested artisans can present their work until 22/3 in the categories of indumentaria (clothing – your word for the day), accessories, shoes, things for the house, games and furniture. Go to CIDAP’s webpage at www.cidap.gob.ec to enter the competition. In addition to the medal, the winner will be part of the XIX Festival de Artesanías de América 2021.

Dos días para mediaciones lectoras (Two days for reading mediations) – The Red de Bibliotecas Municipales (Municipal Libraries Network) organized two book discussions for hoy y mañana on Zoom. Today’s is over, but Friday’s will be a las 15:00. The book to be analyzed will be “Dolores Cacuango, la Pachamama habló por su voz” (Dolores Cacuango, Mother Earth spoke through her voice) and you can register at pfarez@cuenca.gob.ec.

Otras cosas –

Poverty increases as thousands of jobs are lost in Cuenca due to the Covid pandemic.

Titular – Medio siglo de vida del Cuenca (Half a century of Cuenca’s life) – Cuenca’s professional football team, Deportive Cuenca, was formed 50 years ago on 4/3/1971.

Alcaldes preparan marcha para que paguen a municipios (Mayors prepare march to pay municipalities) – Raúl Delgado, president of the Asociación de Municipalitdades del Ecuador (AME) said that mayors are planning protests on 9/3 in each city with 221 mayors going to Quito where they will march from the El Arbolito park to the presidential palace. They are demanding that the $1,054 million that the federal government owes the cities be paid before Moreno leaves office so that the new government cannot claim that it is not responsible for the debt.

Valoran esfuerzo de estudiantes sin equipos digitales (Efforts of students without digital equipment valued) – The “Comparte educación digital” program in the canton of El Pan, has given tablets and laptops to students from families with limited means so the kids can continue their educations. The students had good grades despite the lack of internet access. One 17 year old went to the city every week to get printed class materials and turn in her homework. <I wonder how far she had to travel.> So far, 8 students from a list of 25 have received the donated computers.

Cifras del INEC deben ser ejes de candidatos (Figures from the INEC must be part of candidates promises) – From 12/2019 to 12/2020, poverty – defined as a monthly income of less than $84.05 – went from 25% to 32.4% with extreme poverty – defined as less than $47.37 in monthly income – from 8.9% to 14.9%. At the same time, paid employment with benefits fell from 38.8% to 30.8%. Data from the Cámara de Producción showed that Cuenca lost 20,000 jobs since the pandemic started. According to INEC, unemployment reached 5% nationally, 22.7% of the population is living with underemployment, 28.4% do not have full time employment, and 12.2% are not paid for their work. 2 economists interviewed for the article agreed that political discourse in the 2nd round of elections should focus on these phenomena.

Recolectores de la EMAC en lista de vacunas COVID (EMAC collectors on list of COVID vaccines) – Because they are in constant contact with waste which could be infected, garbage collectors are part of Phase 1 for vaccines which starts this week. The Coordinación Zonal 6 de Salud said it hopes that a new lot of vaccines will arrive between hoy y mañana to vaccinate people in Phase 1 which will include health workers not vaccinated in Phase 0, police and security forces, teachers, vulnerable populations, seniors, garbage collectors, and strategic sector workers such as judicial public servants. A platform where the citizenry can apply to be vaccinated will be launched in a few days. <I’m hopeful that the vaccines and this platform will all come together soon, but I’m cognizant of the fact that this is Ecaudor where anything is possible, but nothing is for certain.>

Mejor internet para Checa y Chiquintad (Better internet for Checa and Chiquintad) – Elecaustro and ETAPA signed an interinstitutional agreement to increase coverage and telecommunications infrastructure in the Checa and Chiquintad parishes which are in the influence zone of the Complejo Hidroeléctrico Machángara. According to ETAPA, 2,500 residents will benefit as a direct result of hydroelectric energy produced.

El TCE pide sustentar denuncia de fraude (The ECA asks for support for complaint of fraud) – The TCE announced that it would not process the recount request by Yaku Pérez because it was not complete. Pérez and Pachakutik have 2 days, which started yesterday, to correct and clarify the request.

Descuentos y compras –

Decameron, all inclusive hotesl and resorts – up to 30% discount at Mompiche y Punta Centinela – rooms available during Semana Santa, restrictions apply – ventasweb.ecuador@decameron.com, www.decameron.com, or call 1800 DECAME (332263).

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.