Military continues prison sweeps, dismantles luxury suites, discotheque; City builds low-income housing; Rain and cooler temperatures could return soon

Lunes, 29/1/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Exposiciones en el Escaparate Creativo (Exhibitions at the Creative Showcase) – The Dirección de Cultura del Municipio de Cuenca opened a new edition of its Escaparate Creativo where it shows different things from managers and artists in the canton. The current exhibit is of books published by the city’s Casa Editorial. The Escaparate Creativo is in the Vestíbulo Municipal on Sucre between Benigno Malo y Luis Cordero.

Titular –

Municipio concretará 3 planes habitacionales (Municipality will implement 3 housing plans) – The Empresa Municipal de Urbanización y Vivienda de Cuenca (EMUVI EP) is developing two social interest residential projects in Ricaurte and Ochoa León, and 1 commercial project which will be ready in 2024. The social interest projects will be for families of limited means with members who have catastrophic illnesses, single mothers, and people with disabilities.

The flow rate of the Rio Tomebamba and two other Cuenca rivers has declined during the recent dry weather. (El Mercurio)

Sales of the 76 apartments in Ricaurte will start in abril or mayo with prices between $72,000 & $80,000. The 36 homes and 2 commercial spaces in Ochoa Leon will be available in the middle of next year. The last project with commercial value is a reconstruction of a 1954 patrimonial house on Padre Aguirre between Vega Muñoz and Pio Bravo with the apartments prices between $80,000 and $160,000. If you are interested, go to the offices of EMUVI EP in the Víctor J. Cuesta park.

Cuenca –

Probabilidades de lluvia esta semana (Chances of rain this week) – The Instituto Nacional de Meteorológia e Hidrología (Inamhi) announced that from el 31/1 to the first week in febrero, there is the probability of conditions favorable for rain in various intensities in a large part of Ecuador. The announcement was made after satellite monitoring showed a change in the wind increasing the content of humidity in the country. With the arrival of rain, the temperatures in all regions of the country could change. The highest temperatures were registered on el 25/1 with Nueza Roca (35.5 C, 95.9 F), Guayaquil, (35.3), Ibarra (28.3) and Cuenca (25.6 C, 78.1 F). <Still too hot for me.>

Sucesos –

Militares mantienen requisas y limpieza en las cárceles (Military maintains searches and cleaning in prisons) – The Fuerzas Armadas (FF.AA – Armed Forces) are continuing with searches of the prisons. In the madrugada de ayer (early yesterday morning) it finished an operation in a prison in Chimborazo where they found arms, drugs, ammunition, and electronic equipment (mainly computers) in cells. The stuff was piled in a court where it was later taken away as garbage. <Would it make sense to look at the computers before trashing them to see if they were used to organize criminal activity? Or were the prisoners using them to help their kids with schoolwork?>

In another general cleaning in the Cañar prison, prisoners participated. In other prisons in the country, there was evidence that certain prisoners had privileges and had cells equipped with furniture, brand name clothing, and other luxuries. The FF.AA. also found a pool in one prison, a discotec with LED lighting, high-end liquors, and illegal substances. There were cells with double beds and built in closets. <Sounds more like a Hilton than a prison.>

Last week the military removed cable TVs and clandestine information networks that had been installed in the prison in Turi. In the days before, guns, ammunition, phones, drugs and liquor were removed. The items found in the cells and wards were piled into a “montón de basura” (heap of trash – your phrase for the day) which had to be removed with backhoes.

Region –

En Nabón impulsan cultivos de aguacates (Avocado crops being promoted in Nabón) – The Provincial Government of Azuay through the Empresa AgroAzuay is promoting cultivation of avocados. 40 families in the Las Nieves parish in Nabón were given 800 Guatemalteco and Hass variety plants. There will also be assistance in preparing the land and in the care and making of fertilizers. These types of avocados are ideal for the zone around 2400 meters above sea level.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne