New comptroller is appointed, replaces corrupt predecessors; City storm drains cleared; Symphony’s Nov. concerts; Chilean cinema; Two nights of opera

Miércoles, 8/11/2023

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Obra reaviva diálogo sobre migración (Play revives dialogue about migration) – “El Ángel,” created by the Lumínile theater company will premier el jueves, 9/11 a las 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo. The intention of the playwright is to revive dialogue and reflection about migration in the rural zones. Tickets are available at Sucre Sale, Idomart, Sinfonía café y Palier Cafélibro. Cost: $8.00 for the general public, $6:00 for students, and $4.00 for disabled persons.

A new foundation, Oncosol, and its partners are providing cancer treatments at steep discounts for patients with limited means. (El Mercurio)

Abre muestra en ‘Escaparate’ (Show opens in ‘Escaparate’) – Clothing and jewelry will be in the new show in the ‘Escaparate Creativo.’ The show will open el viernes, 10/11 a las 15:00 in the vestibule of City Hall (on Sucre between Benigno Malo y Luis Cordero).

Taller abordará gestión cultural (Workshop on cultural management) – From the 13-24/11, the Dirección Municipal de Cultura will hold a workshop in which attendees will learn how to plan, promote, and organize artistic projects. The classes will be from 17:00 – 20:00 in the Casa Patrimonial Municipal Quinta Bolívar. If you are interested, sign up at bit.ly/46gRoeq.

Arranca ciclo de cine chileno (Chilean film series kicks off) – The 2nd Ciclo de Cine Chileno kicked off tonight (miércoles) in the Sala “Alfonso Carrasco” in the Casa de la Cultura (>Luis Cordero 7-22, 2nd floor) a las 19:00. The subsequent films will be screened on el 14, 21, & 28/11. Free.

De El Mercurio del martes, 7/11 (3 items):
Dos noches de ópera en el Teatro Carlos Cueva (Two nights of opera at the Teatro Carlos Cueva) – On el 9 & 10/11 a las 20:00, the Dirección de Cultura and the Facultad de Artes of the U. of Cuenca will present the opera “Cavallería Rusticana” by Pietro Mascagni in the Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz. There will be over 100 performers bringing a story with love, jealousy, betrayal and revenge. <Sounds like your basic soap opera.> Free.

Cine Femimista llega a Cuenca con un festival (Feminist Cinema arrives in Cuenca with a festival) – Equis: Festival de Cine Feminista de Ecuador will present 4 films and 2 short films. The 4 full length films will be shown el 9 & 10/11 in the Alianza Francesa de Cuena (Tadeo Torres y av. Solano). The others will be at the old Escuela Central (Benigno Malo y Gran Colombia). Go to https://festivalequis.com/peliculas-cuenca-quinta-edicion/ for more information. <The times for the movies would be helpful.>

Sinfónica con agenda de conciertos en noviembre (Symphony with a concert agenda for November) – The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca will perform 3 concerts this month. The first will be el 10/11 a las 20:00 in the Teatro Pumapungo. The 2nd will be el 17/11 a las 16:00 in Zaruma, El Oro Province. The last will be el 24/11 a las 20:00 in the iglesia San Roque (av. Loja y calle del Farol). All will be conducted by Augusto Carrión and the first 2 will have invited soloists Linda Alvarado, Darwin Zúñiga, y Franklin Ruque.

Titular –

Designado nuevo contralor (New comptroller appointed) – A new comptroller was finally appointed after 6 years of struggle and winning the competition for the appointment. Xavier Mauricio Torres Maldonado has a PhD in Public Administration from the Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina; a masters in Internacional Sciences; and is a commercial engineer and attorney licensed in Jurisprudence. He has worked for 14 years in the comptroller’s office and is also a university professor.

<And now for the story on those 6 years.> In 2017, Carlos Pólit quit after being involved in the Odebrecht scandal <for you newbies and those who can’t remember, this was kickbacks and payoffs on major construction projects by a big Brazilian contractor). Pólit fled to Miami. <I doubt he’s camped out on skid row.> He was succeeded Pablo Celi who was accused of corruption, jailed, refused to resign, and continued to serve from prison until the Fiscalía put a stop to that. There were also other temporary, substitute comptrollers.

Cuenca –

Monitoreo a 30,000 sumideros (Monitoring of 30,000 drains) – With the forecast of focused, local rain in Cuenca, keeping catch basins and sewers clean is a necessity to prevent blockages. On lunes, the rain was concentrated in the south of the city, increasing the flow of the Tarqui which has overflowed twice this year. El domingo the rain was focused in the northeast in the Tomebamba watershed. These focused rains dumping a lot of water in a short period of time, can cause serious problems if there is not adequate drainage.

An ETAPA engineer, Patricio Rodríguez, said there are 30,000 drains in Cuenca and these are being monitored, cleaned and cleared of obstructions. Critical points on roads prone to flooding have been identified. He recommends that citizens do not throw out garbage that can block catch basins and organize cleaning mingas to prepare for and reduce the risks of the effects of the rains.

Ayuda para los tratamientos dan a pacientes en ‘Oncosol’ (Patients at ‘Oncosol’ get help for treatments) – ‘Oncosol,’ along with other foundations, is helping cancer patients with limited means. So far it has the support of ‘Fundación Hogares Ecuador,’ FUPEC, and the Hospital Municipal. It is hoping to create a ‘Club de Oncología’ with medical students from the U. of Azuay. The cost of oncological services is 40% lower at Oncosol than at private clinics. According to Jorge Luis Ulloa, manager of Farmasol, the most common cancers in Cuenca are breast, skin, prostate, cervical, uterine, and thyroid.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne