New weather equipment will help determine best airport location; Plans to end Yasuní oil operations; One in two Ecuadorian children suffer abuse

The Guayaquil Municipal Council voted Thursday to loan meteorological observation equipment to Cuenca to determine the best location for a new airport. The equipment was used for the same purpose in Guayaquil, where its data helped in the selection of Daular for the city’s new international airport.

Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora said the equipment will begin collecting weather data immediately. “There have been surveys in the past but they included anecdotal observations that were not scientifically validated,” he said. “With this equipment, we can gather weather information we can rely on in making a decision about the new airport.” He said a full meteorologic evaluation will take about three years.

The government announced Wednesday the formation of a committee to begin dismantling oil production in the Yasuní National Park.

Although past surveys have focused on the northern end of the Tarqui valley as the best airport location, no decisions were made. A 1998 airport committee recommended a site 3 kilometers from the town of Tarqui but admitted that occasional fog in the area could be a problem.

Another site, a flat mountaintop near Challuabamba was also considered but rejected due to high wind conditions.

Steps taken to end Yasuní oil production
President Daniel Noboa has created a committee to coordinate the dismantling of oil operations in Yasuní National Park. In a 2023 referendum, almost 60% of Ecuadorians voted to end oil production in what has been called the most biodiverse area on earth.

“The objective of the committee will be to coordinate and establish the mechanisms, guidelines and actions that will carry out the will of the people to suspend oil production in Block 43 in Yasuní National Park,” Noboa said in a statement.

According to the presidential order, the committee will consist of representatives from the Ministries of Energy and Mines, Environment, Economy and Finance, Women and Human Rights, as well as from the public Petroecuador Public Company.

Cuenca tranvia has lowest non-payment rate
Of the 2,172,903 passengers boarding Cuenca’s tram in the first four months of 2024, only 423, or 0.02%, did not pay the fare, according to the municipal transportation authority. If non-payers are caught, they face a fine of $138.

According to French tram manufacturer Alstom, which built the tranvia system, Cuenca had the lowest non-payment rate in 2023 of all 165 municipal tram systems it has installed in 37 countries. The average non-payment rate is 0.07%.

One in two Ecuadorian children suffer abuse
A UNICEF study reported that one in two children under the age of five has been physically or psychologically abused in Ecuador. The research was carried out in the wake of the ‘Stop Violence’ campaign to call for the identification of child abuse situations in the country.

“This campaign has been launched at the regional level because Latin America and the Caribbean is the most violent region of the world in terms of child abuse outside of war zones,” said United Nations Children’s Fund representative in Ecuador, Luz Ángela Melo.

In total, last year there were 770 homicides against children and adolescents in Ecuador, and there was also an increase in murders against children from 0 to 4 years (248) and adolescents from 15 to 19 (468), according to figures provided by the Ministry of the Interior.