New autopista radar will sanction speeders; Avian flu emergency declared; Minimum wage rises to $450; Warden murdered; Camping area restored

Viernes, 2/12/2022
 
Hola, Todos

Titular –

Sicarios matan a director de cárcel (Hitmen kill prison warden) – Ayer, a las 8:30, motorcyclists shot at and killed retired Coronel Santiago Loza Moscoso, the warden of the El Inca prison, as he was driving to the prison in the north of Quito. Loza had been warden since 9/11, two days after a seizure of a large number of arms, drugs, and electronic devices. The confiscations triggered confrontations between prisoners and left 5 dead. On 18/11, under Loza’s command, Jonathan Bermúdez, the head of Los Lobos who led the prison killings on 7/11 was transferred from El Inca to La Roca, a maximum security prison in Guayaquil. In reaction to the transfer, the gang started a new riot that left another 10 dead. Prison authorities then tranferred another 3 prisoners to La Roca.

New radar equipment is being installed on the Azogues and Sayausí autopistas. When it becomes operational it will generate speeding fines to motorists driving above the speed limit. (El Mercurio)

A report from the Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral para Privados de Libertad (SNAI) said that Loza had started transforming the prison to take control away from Los Lobos. The killing was in retaliation to his actions. A previous warden was fired and jailed at El Inca for bringing in contraband such as cigarettes, saws, and electronic cables in a double bottomed paint can. <I guess if Los Lobos were accustomed to room service from the warden, a new warden trying to clean up the prison wouldn’t be welcomed.>

Cuenca – 

Aún no corren las multas por radares (Speed camera fines are not yet in effect) – The speed radars on the Cuenca-Azogues and Medio Ejido-Sayausí autopistas are operating, but aren’t issuing fines yet. Juan Carlos Aguirre, manager of EMOV told El Mercurio that no date has been set for the equipment to start working. By law, there has to be a 20 day public notice period before the equipment can be put into service. Currently, the equipment that was installed by the Comisión de Tránsito de Ecuador (CTE) is being exchanged for equipment from EMOV which is taking over traffic control on the 2 autopistas. 10 camara/radars which will run 24 hours a day were installed in the urban zone.

When the road was under the national jurisdiction of CTE, they operated from 7-21:00. During the notice period, 1,200,000 to 1,400,000 vehicles circulated on those roads. Of these, less than 1% exceeded the speed limit considered moderate range. In Ecuador speed limits are 50 kmh in urban zones, 90 in peripheral zones, and 100 on straight highways.

Region – 

En Busa mejoran módulos para acampar y camineras (Camping modules and trails improved in Busa) – The 2nd and last intervention planned for the laguna de Busa for this year is underway. This natural attraction is in San Fernando canton in the south of Azuay Province. 5 camp sites and several stretches of deteriorated trails are being repaired. The last 3 camp sites and trails should be finished by the middle of diciembre.

The first phase of work was the removal of 2.5 hectares of totoras (cat tails) in areas identified for environmental remediation. The invasive plants were able to spread due to nutrients and phosphates washing into the lake from ranching in the neighboring properties. Removal of the totoras and reforestation ended last septiembre so the area could recover its natural characteristics. Magali Jiénez, an environmetal quality technician, said the municipality should raise awareness so that property owners can decrease the discharge of minerals.

Nacional – 

De El Mercurio del jueves, 1/12 (2 articles):
A USD 450 subirá sueldo para el 2023 (Salary to rise to $450 in 2023) – Pres. Lasso signed Executive Decree 611 to raise the Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) to $450. This will take effect el 1/1/2023. <So it’s time to calculate the percentage difference from 2022 to 2023 and apply it to your cleaning lady’s pay.>

Emergencia por gripe aviar (Avian flu emergency) – The Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG) declared a 90 day zoo-sanitary emergency in all of Ecuador after finding the highly contagious avian flu virus at a farm in Cotopaxi. In the next 90 days, transportation of birds and bird products and subproducts such as eggs from the farms where the outbreak occured is prohibited. <How about chicken s**t for fertilizer?> Farms in the affected zones will also be quarantined. The outbreak was identified during preventive controls by the Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario (Agrocalidad) which allowed the immediate formation of an epidemiological containment to control the virus. There will be 3 blocks of control barriers at the focus of the contagion with 30 technicians at those points 24/7. The points to control transport of birds and bird products will be on main roads. Vehicles in the control zones will also be disinfected. <Everyone’s had a lot of practice with quarantining and disinfecting these last couple of years.> There will be PCR testing in farms located within 3 km. of site “zero,” and mobilization of 850 technicians to test at other farms. 180,000 animals will be destroyed out of the 279,000 aves ponedoras (laying hens) in the country. The site of the infection has 0.15% of the chicken population in the country. <Get ready for the price of breakfast to go up.> This virus does not affect humans. You cannot catch it by eating chickens or eggs. <You might get salmonella, but not bird flu.>

Descuentos y compras –

ETAFASHION – 72 hour Christmas sale, 3-5/12 – Up to 50% off + and additional 20% off with direct credit from ETAFASHION on selected merchandise. <Will the selected merchandise include cheesy Christmas sweaters? There ought to be a silly Xmas sweater contest with extra points if you knitted it yourself.>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne