Government claims food supplier for prisons also provided weapons and other banned articles; New Metástatis testimony targets ex-court chief

Viernes, 3/5/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Talleres gratuitos (Free workshops) – There will be straw weaving workshops at the Economuseo Municipal ‘Casa del Sombrero’ (Rafael María Arízaga 7-95 y Luis Cordero). The practical classes will be for the whole public and will be taught by qualified craftswomen from different sectors of the Cuenca canton. If you’re interested go to mmpts.gad.2024@gmail.com.

Agenda de Sinfónica (Symphony schedule) – The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca has its schedule of activities for mayo. The concert, ‘Mi madre querida’ will be played on el 10/5 with two performances at 10:30 and at 20:00 in the Teatro Casa de la Cultura. On el 15/5 a las 15:00 there will be a Chamber Music concert with the String Quartet. The Concert Agenda ends el 31/5 with a tribute to children.

The government is claiming that the company that provides food for Ecuador’s prisoners has also been supply them with banned articles, including weapons, explosives and ammunition. (El Mercurio)

Titular –

20 cárceles sin alimentación (20 prisons without food) – Denisse Andino, a consultant to the Secretaría Jurídica de la Presidencia de la República presented a ‘noticia criminis,’ a disclosure of an alleged criminal act, to the Attorney General about corruption and crimes that could have happened in the La Fattoria company which provides food in the nation’s prisons. Later the Government issued a statement in which it unveiled the alleged crimes committed by the company which was linked with organized crime and monopolization of the service.

Since 2015 when La Fattoria was first awarded the contract for $35 million annually to feed the inmates in the country’s 35 prison, it has been continuously renewed. The allegations are not new. Fernando Villavicencio, the assinated assemblyman, provided evidence that in spite of the bad quality of food which inmates complained about, the contracts were renewed. La Fattoria was also related to Provisali which administered the economatos (commissaries) which sold basic necesities for which the families were obligated to deposit money. <So if you wind up in prison you better hope that you’ve got good friends who will recharge your commissary account so you can have basic necessities. Maybe including things like toothpaste, toilet paper, candy bars, and chastity belts?>

According to President Noboa, since 2015 La Fattoria has received contracts worth $171 million which went to finance criminal organizations. <And to provide fancy apartments and luxury living in the prisons for the gang leaders.> But the worst accusation Villavicencio made was that the the company was responsible for getting arms into the prisons. These were later used during the prison massacres. <Literally smuggling in weapons hidden in cakes?>

Denuncia tras finiquito (Complaint following termination) – The accusations by the Government against La Fattoria were made after the company representative, Richared Villagrán, accused the State of not paying about $30 million. This was not just for food for prisons but for the national school breakfast program. He said the 2 programs were in danger since the company hasn’t been paid since noviembre y diciembre the company and has more than 300 providers. Because of the non-payment, provision of food to the prisons was suspended on viernes of the past week. <Do you think the prisoners will riot before they get too weak to do so?> Families are now buying food for the prisoners. <Another reason to develop a good, strong network of friends.>

Actualidades –

Hallan “guardería” de tiburones martillo (Hammerhead shark “nursery” found) – A possible smooth hammerhead shark nursery has been identified in the Galápagos for the first time. Juvenile sharks were seen in a small bay in Isabela Island, the largest in the archipelago during a scientific expedition by the Greenpeace ship the Arctic Sunrise. The science team was able to put a tracking device on a subadult name Alba. This type of shark is rarely seen and hasn’t been able to be tracked until now.

Cuenca –

De El Mercurio del jueves, 2/5 (1 article):
Libre oferta y demanda en precio del gas a domicilio (Free supply and demand in home delivered gas prices) – There are recurring complaints from clients about the price increase for gas tanks delivered to homes. The price has risen from $3.00 to $3.25 and as high as $3.50 <In gringolandia?> This increase was applied when the price of a tank of gas to the public who buy directly from a distributor went from $1.60 to $1.65 due to the increase in the IVA to 15%. However, home delivery service is a function fo the free market since customers have the option of buying from whomever they want. If you buy from a distributor who is charging more than the official price of $1.65, report it to the Intendencia de Policía de Azuay or the Agencia de Regulación y Control Hidrocarburífeo (ARCH). <Or get your facilitator to do it for you if you’re still in denial that you’re in a Spanish speaking country.>

Nacional –

Evaluarán si cortes de luz vuelven o no la próxima semana (Whether or not power outages will return next week will be evaluated) – Thanks to the rains in the South and the rising water in the Mazar and Paute reservoirs, electricity cutoffs were suspended during the 1 de mayo holiday and through the weekend. Roberto Luque, Minesterio de Energía, pointed out that this could change next week. He is in favor of reducing the outages as well as reducing the consumption of energy. It will be known over the weekend if this is sufficient for outages to be suspended, maintained or reduced. One of the problems is if the Coca Codo Sinclair plant is taken out of service for scheduled maintenance. This is being considered for postponement. It is the largest plant in the country, providing 1/5 of the energy in the country, and suspending its operations will cause an increase in shutoffs. <I know all of you “experts” are going to have to have your say on this.>

Identificación de género (Gender identity) – According to the last census, there are 270,970 people over 18 in Ecuador who identify with the LGBTI+ population. 110,519 claimed to be transgender, with 58.3% transmasculine and 40.1% transfeminine, and 1.6% non-binary. In addition, 221,721 people identify with a diverse sexual orientation: 55% lesbians, 36.1% gays and 7.1% bisexuals. <I’m hoping all of you who comment will be courteous.>

‘Caso Metástatis’ – New testimony is anticipated in the Caso Metástatis in which the infiltration of organized crime into the judicial system is being investigated. Álex Palacios, former advisor to Wilman Terán, a judge in the Corte Nacional de Justicia and ex-president of the Consejo de la Judicatura, said that the ex-judge asked for up to $2 million for processing a habeas corpus in favor of drug trafficker Leandro Norero.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne