Most ‘Bribes 2012-2016’ convicts have fled the country; Cantons decide new restrictions; City tops 5,500 Covid infections; Tele-work abuses grow

Jueves, 10/9/2020

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
De la pagina cultural –

Saladentro traza agenda para que cultura siga viva (Saladentro draws up an agenda for culture to stay alive) – The Saladentro cultural center (Paseo 3 Noviembre y Bajada de Todos Santos) reopened to the public with hours from 9-13:00. It has a series of workshops this month on estampación (stamping), creativity, and Sketch Up. Go to their web page at www.saladentro.com for more info. It is preparing a seminar called “Hackear el arte” for 28/9 to 5/10. Call 0722834396 (sic) or go to their web page to register. It is also calling for people to submit visual reflections on what what has happened during the pandemic for Nos-otros. The requirements for participation are on their Facebook page and web page.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Abuso en teletrabajo (Telework Abuse) – The Ministerio de Trabajo (Ministry of Labor) is preparing an agreement to regulate telework which has been imposed on the majority of the public sector due to the pandemic. There are cases in which employees are forced to work nights and weekends with the threat of getting fired if they do not put in the extra hours. Without fixed office hours, they are working more hours than called for in their contracts. Added to the chores of running a household, this has led to anxiety, depression, stress, consumption of alcohol and drugs up to suicidal ideas. <Sounds like self employment where you’re never not working.>

Cuenca’s Vicente Coral Moscoso hospital remains at full capacity. (El Mercurio)

Questionan pretendida alza salarial en el GAD (Alleged salary increase in the GAD questioned) – The reform of an ordinance which seeks to standardize salaries for certain workers was questioned during a meeting of the Cámara Provincial and contradicts a policy of the prefect, Yaku Pérez, to reduce salaries. The reform to the Ordenanza que Regula la Admiistración de Talento Humano would raise salaries from $1086 to $1212, from $1212 to 1412, and from $1576 to $1760. One speaker wanted clarification as to the new duties and responsibilities that would justify the salary increases. The increases would add $10,571 to the current $880,912 monthly payment. Some of the council members believe that this and other reforms which they want approved as a package should be analyzed or rewritten by Cecilia Méndez when she assumes the office of prefect. Other issues addressed at the meeting were how to guarantee money for roads since the Tasa Solidaria has been eliminated, and the regulation of single use plastics in Azuay.

Mayoría de sentenciados ya no está en Ecuador (Most of those sentenced are no longer in Ecuador) – After the oral sentences in the Sobornos 2012-2016 case was issued last lunes, the written sentence will be sent to the 20 defendents, the prosecutor and attorney general’s offices el martes. The defendents have until mañana to present petitions to clarify or amplify the sentence which does not get changed. After the sentencing, arrest warrants will be issued, the process to recuperate economic reparations will start, and the CNE will be notified of the political disqualification of the defendents.

The police are charged with putting the acused in prison for their sentences of 8 years. However, only the arrests of Jorge Glas who is already in jail and Alexis Mera who is under house arrest are certain. Most of the rest of them have fled. Ex-pres. Correa is in Belgium and others are in the US, Venezuela, and the Argentinian embassy in Quito. El paradero (whereabouts – our word for the day, mostly because I like the English word) of a current legislator is unknown. Two businessmen have left the country. The country will ask for an Interpol arrest warrants and pursue extradition. As part of the sentence, defendants must pay the government $14,700,000 in partial reparations.

Estudio analiza salud mental de periodistas (Study analyzes mental health of journalists) – 5 organizations did a study to learn more about the mental health of journalists. <Anecdotally, the journalists I’ve met are mentally healthier than the psychologists I’ve met, many of whom seemed nuttier than a pecan pie.> The study was to see the effect on journalists working in the field and if their exposure to the virus and what they see in their daily work led to post traumatic stress.

Municipio pide denunciar presuntos casos de estafa (Municipality asks that alleged cases of fraud be reported) – The city is asking that victims make a formal complaint to the city so that it has timely information to proceed with administrative sanctions against the employee who was “selling” city jobs. They want to move on the case and remove the mal elemento (bad element) so as not encourage others to do the same thing.

Cuenca suma 5,500 contagios de COVID (5,500 COVID infections in Cuenca) – The Coordinación Zonal 6 de Salud reported that the number of confirmed cases in Cuenca reached 5,500, and 6,746 in the province. Of these cases, 3,850 in Cuenca have recovered and 4,605 in Azuay. The public hospitals are still full with 165 critical Covid patients with 72 presenting chronic symptoms and needing ventilators. Deaths in local hospitals have reached 265, although not all of them are from Covid.

Controles, retos para municipios (Controls, challenges for municipalities) – The national state of emergency ends el sábado. Starting el domingo, the restrictions that apply will depend on each local jurisdiction. What will be common to all are hygiene, use of masks, social distancing, and avoiding crowds. Paute will have a curfew from 19:00-5:00 from domingo a jueves, and from 22:00-5:00 on viernes y sábado as well as controls on transit, mercados and businesses. Other cantonal councils are meeting to decide what their restrictions will be to balance biosecurity and economic recovery.

“La Churonita” vendrá a visitar Azuay y Cañar (“La Churonita” will visit Azuay and Cañar) – The image of the Virgen de El Cisne will fly over Cuenca, Azogues and nearby parishes mañana from 11:00 in a helicopter borrowed from the Army. On el sábado, she will visit the cantons of Gualaceo y Paute. Archbishop Marcos Pérez called for devotees of the Virgin to decorate the balconies of their houses to receive the sacred image who will give blessings from above. <Pray you’re not underneath the helicopter when they release the pigeons.> <That was a joke – no pigeons.>

Normas generales regirán tras finalización del estado de excepción (General rules will govern after the end of the state of emergancy) – The COE will have a national matrix with the general rules which will apply starting 13/9 when the state of emergency ends. Juan Zapata, the director of ECU-911, explained the idea is to avoid the chaos caused if each of the 221 cantons had different rules. What will continue will be the circulation of cars according to plate number, no re-openings of night life venues, no public shows, and certain high risk sports. Salvoconductos will still be required in those cities that require them. <Those salvoconductos sound like the foot in the door for chaos – so to leave your canton, you have to find out if your destination as well as your own canton require salvocontuctos.> Nationally, classes in person will stay suspended and teleworking will be prioritized.

And that´s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne