Neighborhood patrols battle crime; Highway to Yunguilla is falling apart; First election results due by 7 Sunday night; Prefect takes socialist approach

Lunes, 5/4/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nada.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Daños obligan a manejar con tino (Damages force you to drive skillfully) – Various stretches of the vía Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje need immediate attention since they’re dangerous – especially for drivers who are not familiar with the road or are speeding. As far as Santa Isabel, there are at least 10 critical spots with fisuras, baches, desniveles, y hundimientos (cracks, potholes, level changes and subsidence – your words for the day so you can explain that busted axle to your mechanic). In almost all cases, the damage extends across half the road with no warning signage and the bad spots are invisible at night. <Always follow another car, and when you see its lights bounce, slow down. If you see it flip over, stop.> Neighbors in some areas have attempted to repair the road, but the patches haven’t lasted. They are worried that because of heavy vehicular traffic, the road might collapse completely. Tourism has been affected as well.

The ballots for Sunday’s election were delivered to Cuenca on Sunday. (El Mercurio)

Listo el material electoral (Election material ready) – Distribution of voting materials in Azuay started el sábado. The first packages went to the cantons of Camilo Ponce Enríque and Pucará which are the farthest, and to Cuencan parishes such as Chaucha and Molleturo which are close to the coast. The kits were fumigated before they were unpacked. Prisoners in the CRS who have not been sentenced will vote el jueves, and Voto en Casa will happen el viernes. 14 poll workers will go to houses in Cuenca, Paute y Santa Isabel to allow 35 home bound people to vote.

La delincuencia no da tregua en barrio (Crime does not give up in the neighborhood) – The Mutualista Azuay II neighborhood is suffering from robberies of houses, vehicles, and accessories; attacks on pedestrians; and drinking in the park to the point that neighbors are forming brigades that patrol the area on foot and in cars after 19:00. They carry blunt objects such as bats, metal rods, and whistles and say they will punish anyone they catch in the act of committing a crime. <If you’re over there trying to steal a car and you see the neighbors coming, you better call 911 and hope the cops get there before the neighbors catch you.> The neighbors have called for more police presence and installed security cameras, but these measures have been insufficient.

Prefecta revela administrar sobre base socialista (Prefect reveals she will administer on a socialist basis) – The prefectura, Cecilia Méndez, was interviewed, and if you’re interested you should read it for yourself at www.elmercurio.com.ec

La transmisión de resultados desde las 19:00 (The transmission of results from 19:00 – Diana Atamaint, president of the CNE (Consejo Nacional Electoral), announced that preliminary results for the run off election el domingo will probably be ready as early as 19:00. Part of the simulated election was to measure how long it took someone to vote. Because there are only 2 candidates <not counting null or blanco> running for one office, it only took 1 minute to vote as opposed to 3-5 minutes in the general election.

Noticias viejas –

Titular del domingo, 4/4/2021 –
Vendrá un millón de vacunas Sinovac (A million Sinovac vaccines coming) – Carlos Larrea, Ecuadorian ambassador to China, informed Pres. Moreno that the first shipment of 300,000 Sinovac vaccines will arrive el l/4. Another 700,000 doses will arrive three days later. Pres. Moreno said that 2,248 vaccination centers will be opened in the hospitals in the public health system, dispensaries of the Seguro Social Campesino and other locations established with local governments. <For information only, when you get your, call it’s automated, gives you a bunch of information, and refers you to your text messages where your appointment time and location is given. You’re supposed to show up a half hour early.>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne