New Turi lookout aims to boost tourism; Protect your condo against thieves; 10 registered to run for mayor of Cuenca; Census can be taken online

Lunes, 3/10/2022

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –
Nothing I can find; have a boring week.

Titular –

Brasil, a reñida segunda vuelta (Brazil, a close second round) – See story in today’s CHL.

Cuenca –

Azuay tiene 86 candidatos a alcaldes (Azuay has 86 mayoral candidates) – There are 86 mayoral candidates for the 15 cantons in Cuenca. Of these there are 23 women candidates. This is less than the 95 people who ran for mayorships <is that a word? If not, you know what I mean.> in 2019. The 10 candidates who want to be mayor of Cuenca are Paúl Carrasco C., Mario Castro Q., Adrián Castro P., Omar Álvarez, Cristian Zamora M., Jaime Moreno, Verónica Abad, Roque Ordóñez, Pedro Palacios, and Luca Pallanca. <I protest. There aren’t enough candidates with surnames from the 2nd half of the alphabet.>

From El Mercurio del sábado, 1/10/2022:

The new Turi overlook complex includes a viewing deck, gifts shops, hiking trails and adventure sports. (El Mercurio)

Así se protege un condominio (This is how to protect a condominium) – Last septiembre, criminal gangs entered at least 5 condominiums and developments in different sectors of Cuenca, all of the entries were recorded on security cameras. The ease with which the delinquents entered, in spite of security guards at of most of the locations, shows the lack of security protocols. It also showed that the criminal organizations used similar methods to commit the robberies. They passed themselves off as visitors or service employees. A builder, security specialist, and risk management researcher made recommendations.
1. Designate an administrator and president of the condominium.
2. Make a list of the names and data for all of the residents of the housing complex.
3. Maintain good lighting in exterior spaces.
4. Have a communications channel for all the neighbors (one option is WhatsApp).
5. Know the neighbors and their most frequent visitors.
6. Have a control station at the point of entry (a barrier is an option).
7. If there is private security, avoid continual rotation of the personnel.
8. Install a common system of alarms and cameras.
9. Have all the data for the current renters.
10. Maintain utility meters on the outside of the building or complex.
11. Decide on a key word between the neighbors in case of emergency. <I don’t think “Oh, s**t.” would be a socially acceptable password.
12. Prohibit the entry of strangers without authorization by one of the residents.
13. Organize the residents in a security plan.
14. Have a direct contact with the nearest Unidad de Policía Comunitaria (UPC – Community Policing Unit). <Does Tía Poli still work?>
15. Install panic buttons in strategic locations to call for help.

From El Mercurio del domingo, 2/10/2022:

Turi potencia el turismo con renovado mirador (Turi boosts tourism with renovated lookout point) – The renovated viewpoint at Turi was reopened la noche de viernes. The “balcon de Cuenca” (“Cuenca’s balcony”) is considered an obligatory visit for both national and international tourists. There are coffee shops, restaurants, crafts stores and Aventuri, a recreational park with children’s games, zip line, and a very high swing <not for the acrophobic>. The admission to Aventuri, with hours from 10-19:00 and 5 extreme games, is $2.00.

The Parish Government is also promoting tourism at 4 other natural viewpoints. The cerro y bosque Boquerón (Boquerón hill and forest) is 5.7 km. from the parish center in the high part and has mountain forest where you can see the plants typical of this zone. The residents of the community periodically organize activities such as horseback riding and hikes and offer delicious typical gastronomy. The Cerro Monjas is 3.7 km from the parish center and has incomparable scenery. There also activities such as horse back riding, walks, picnics, and mountain biking.

In the middle of septiembre the community organizes fiestas in honor of the Virgen del Cisne. The Cerro Calvario is named for the processions the residents organize for Holy Week. At the top of the hill is the church with a terrace that’s used as a viewpoint. Icto Cruz is 3.2 km. from the parish center and was where prehispanic peoples held different religious ceremonies. The main attraction is the view from its mirador. It is also the starting point for a path used by practitioners of “downhill.” <That would be anyone over 55 for whom life is one continuous downhill – which doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy every inch of the descent.>

Comunidad Afro de Azuay se reúne hoy (Afro community of Azuay meets today) – The Comunidad Afroecuatoriana in Azuay met el domingo to celebrate the Día Nacional del Pueblo Afroecuatoriano. The date commemorates when ship carrying slaves along the coast line of Esmeraldas was shipwrecked in 1553. The date also is a recognition of the contributions of the community to the fight for independence; social and economic development, and the enrichment of the national culture. <It should also be a reminder that not every expat in Cuenca is white.> Jacky Bolaño, spokeswoman for the community said there are 15,652 Afroecuatorianos in Azuay Province, and according to the 2010 census they represent 7.2% of the national population. They are the 2nd largest minority after the montubios who are 7.4% and ahead of the indigenous with 7%. The percentage in Guayaquil is 26.02%, in Esmeraldas 11.65%, and in Quito 9.48%.

Sucesos –

Encuentran osamenta humana en Sinincay (Human bones found in Sinincay) – A skull, jaw, vertebrea, and ribs were found in a ravine in the Choza de Mujeres cooperative sector of Sinincay last sábado. Agents from the Dirección Nacional de Delitos contra la Vida, Desagariciones, Extorsión y Secuestros (Dinased – National Directorate of Crimes against Life, Disappearances, Extortion and Kidnapping), the Policía Nacional, and Forensics Unit were at the scene. 30 bones were taken to the Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Forenses Zonal 6 in Cuenca. Officials are looking at reports of poeple missing from the Sinincay area, and a forensic anthropologist extracted DNA samples to compare with data in the Criminology Department. <Just like on TV.> Neighbors are worried and waiting to see if the death will be treated as a crime or a natural death.

Nacional –

From El Mercurio del sábado, 1/10/2022:

Desde hoy está habilitada opción para censo virtual (Virtual census option is now available) – From 1-31/10, the Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos (INEC) will set up a page where people answer the census virtually. This will exempt you from the face-to-face census which starts in noviembre. To fill out the questionaire, go to https://censoenlinea.censoecuador.gob.ec.

The only things you need to have in hand are the cédulas of everyone in the household. Only one questionnaire should be filled out for each family group. Once you have registered, you can enter the information required. There are 70 questions covering household, housing and population. At the end, a Q code will be shown which you should save either physically or digitally to show to the census worker. The in-person census will be from 7/11 to 18/12/2022. <If your Spanish is shaky you’re probably better off with the virtual version which you can run through your translation program. Or if you do it in person, have your facilitator help you translate. Or take a chance that you’ll get an English speaking census worker.>

Descuentos y compras –

Superstock – New Christmas collection <Next year’s garbage.> The Super Sala Navideña opened el 1/10.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper (please don’t ask her for them). The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.