More drug traffickers, extortionists and kidnappers busted; Referendum questions explained; Music, textiles, dance, and crafts on the cultural agenda

Viernes, 5/4/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Pumapungo con agenda cultural – As part of the founding of Cuenca fiestas and heritage month, the Museo and parque Arqueológico Pumapungo have a schedule of activities with workshops, exhibits, and artistic events. The show, “Arte e identidad,” a tribute to art and Ecuadorian artists will open el miércoles, 10/4 a las 19:00. On el 12/4 starting a las 8:00, there will be dance and dancing workshops. El 18/4, for the Día del Patrimonio, the museum will have extended hours from 8-20:30. To see all the activities, go to https://cortar.link/nrOzjX.

Mayor Cristian Zamora on Friday presented the agenda of events for the Cuenca foundation holidays. Events celebrating the 467th anniversary of the city’s Spanish founding will be held throughout April. (El Mercurio)

Exposición artesanal – The crafts exhibit, “Sumak Away y Valle de los Sonidos,” by Doris Samanieggo y Víctor Quinde will open el 30/4 in the Aceleradora Cultural (Cordero 7-26 y Pres. Córdova). The show will have looms, textiles, musical instruments, and crafts to see and to purchase. Free.

Fiesta de las Etnias (Festival of Ethnic Groups) – The 2nd edition of the Fiesta de las Etnias will be el sábado, 6/4 in the Sala “Alfonso Carrasco” at the Casa de la Cultura (Luis Cordero 7-22, 2nd floor). Participants will be the Equinoccio Artes Vivas Ecuador cultural group and the elencos (casts) that make up the group. Cost: $3.00 for adults and children over 5 years old.

Homenaje al Eshein – There will be a tribute to the scenic artist Eshein hoy, a las 19:00 in the Casa de Chaguarchimbana (calle Las Herrerías y Los Arupos). The event will include participation by various artistic groups including Colectivo Harapos, La Tejedora, Circo Pan y Guineo, y Chico Silencio. Free.

De El Mercurio del jueves, 4/4 (3 articles):
Música psicodélica y espacial (Psychedelic and space music) – The Boson D´HIggs band will present a concert, “Los cuentos espaciales” (Space stories) el sábado, 20/4 a las 18:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo. It will be a psychedelic and space music concert appropriate for the whole public. <Time to drop those Owsley tabs you’ve been saving since the Summer of Love.> Admission is free, but you should register that you will be going on the Bee application since capacity is limited.

Muestra en Casa del Alfarero – The “Terracota, el arte de la cerámica y la alfarería” (Terracotta, the art of ceramics and pottery) exhibit is showing at the Casa Patrimonial Municipal del Alfarero. The show shares the history of pottery and ceramics in Cuenca since the 20th Century. Hours are lunes a viernes, from 9:00-16:30. Free.

Expo de bordados en CIDAP (Embroidery Expo at CIDAP) – The Centro de Bordados Cuenca will present its new collection, “Innovarte, moda y tradición” (Innovarte, fashion and tradition – innovarte seems to be a made-up word combining innovation and art.) el 8/4 a las 19:00 in the CIDAP gardens. The exhibit will take place in the framework of the first bienal of Artesanía de Cuenca (Crafts Biennal of Cuenca).

Titular –

56 detenidos en operativo policial contra extorsión (56 detained in police operation against extortion) – The Policía Nacional conducted the “Gran Libertad 2” operation in Manta y Portoviejo, Manabí; Guayaquil, Guayas; Los Riós; Quito, Pichincha; and Playas y Santa Elena, Santa Elena. About 600 uniformed police from the preventive, investigative and intelligence subsystems were deployed. There were arrests during a crime in progress in which 2 victims were freed and arrests with arrest warrants. 71 raids were carried out with arrests of 3 subjects of intermediate value among the 56 detentions. Firearms, illegal substances, cash, ammunition, high end watches, gold colored jewelry and one military uniform were seized as evidence. Freddy Sarzosa Guerra, General Director of Investigations, said that from enero to marzo of 2024, 121 operations have been conducted in which 63 people were freed and 343 arrested.

Consulta Popular –
This section will also be your civics lesson for the season in how elections in Ecuador are run.

De El Mercurio del jueves, 4/4 (2 articles):
The 3d question asks, “Are you in agreement with the establishment of specialized judgeships in constitutional matters, both in first and second instance, to hear jurisdictional guarantees? <That’s straight from the translation program. Now I need someone to translate that legalese into English for me. Googling jurisdictional guarantees didn’t help much since I Googled it in English but got Spanish results in Spanish legalese.> <OK – seems like jurisdictional guarantees is a judicial specialty about protecting the constitutional rights of people in the court system. In the current system the judges hearing cases wind up involved in deciding jurisdictional guarantees. Maybe those issues are brought up as part of the original case or by defendants claiming violation of their constitutional rights? And because it’s not the judges’ specialty it delays the original case or they make mistakes or bad or coerced decisions.>

Atención preferente (Preferential service) – At all polling stations, there will be special attention for people with disabilities, seniors, and other people who are not able to get to their polling places. <At one election, a worker took a look at me, and took me to a canopy for old folks. Saved me a whole walk across the high school sports court, but wound up taking more time since someone had to go get my ballot and signature sheets. Not worth saving that short walk.>

Today’s referendum question (viernes), #4, asks “Are you in agreement for the Ecuadorian State to recognize international arbitration as a method to solve investment, contractual or commercial disputes?” <I guess that depends on who the arbitration body is. If it’s the one that’s composed of a panel appointed by multinational corporations then….?>

Llegan kits electorales y el domingo habrá simulacro (Electoral kits have arrived and on Sunday there will be a simulation) – The techical kits for the referendum and consulta popular have arrived in Cuenca and are now undergoing technical tests on the equipment. On el domingo, there will be an election simulation in the Colegio Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón where the logistical, operational, and technical capacity will be 100% tested. For this test, FF. AA. and Policía Nacional personnel will be mobilized to the 265 polling stations in Azuay. The coordinators of the mesas (voting tables) and members of the 100 ballot digitalization centers will also attend. In this test, 13,000 ballots will be processed to allow adjustments in times if it is needed.

El 18 de abril será votación en cárcel; y, el 19, en casas (On April 18, voting will take place in prisons, and on April 19, in homes) – Voting is mandatory for those over 18, and this includes prisoners without a final conviction. Voting at home sends poll workers to the homes of people with disabilities and seniors unable to get to the polls.

Sucesos –

Prisión preventiva para 10 procesados por tráfico de droga (10 defendants remanded in custody for drug trafficking charges) – <This is one of those major bust articles.> The Fiscalía (Prosecutor’s Office) processed 10 alleged members of drug gangs who were accused of transporting, warehousing and placing drugs in cargo ships in the Gulf of Guayaquil and other Ecuadorian ports. They were captured in operations on el 3/4 in Guayas, El Oro and Santa Elena Provinces and prohibited from selling assets including cars and boats. The Prosecutor opened the investigation after the seizure of 3 tons of cocaine, 39 firearms, 10 lanchas rápidas (speedboats – your word for the day), 6 vehicles, and electronic equipment. The Fiscalía identified another 10 events in which armored vehicles were used to transport illegal substances to illicit shrimp farms which were used as warehousing centers. The drugs were later taken by speedboats to contaminar (pollute – an interesting choice of words) shipping containers.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne