Pipeline closure won’t affect fuel stocks; Vaccination program expands weekend service; Patients protest lack of medicine; Colombia faces beer shortage

Martes, 14/12/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Oficios rurales en una miiserie documental (Rural trades in a documentary miniseries) – Christian Rojas and Paula Llerena have produced Ayllu, a 10 chapter miniseries documentary on Instagram about traditional work that still endures in rural zones of Cuenca. The videos show the art of making chocolate and bread, agriculture and flower growing and fireworks and the people who do the work. You can see it on Instagram @ayllu_serie.

Foro nacional de economía (National economic forum) – There will be a national seminar organized by the Continuing Education Center at the Universidad Católica on poverty and inequality, fiscal policy, and applied economy. It will be from 15-17/12 from 18:00-21:30. To participate, register at https://forms.gle/hmX6cqs2KwAPTT9v5.

Families of patients with chronic illnesses protest lack of medications outside Cuenca’s IESS hospital. (El Mercurio)

Poesía y música navideña (Christmas poetry and music) – The Universidad de Cuenca has prepared a poetry recital mañana (miércoles) a las 19:00 in the Museo Universitario. On viernes a las 20:00, the Sinfónica de la Universidad de Cuenca will present a Christmas concert in the Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz. On el 21/12 a las 20:00 there will be a program of traditional carols in the Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz.

Titular –

Empresarios, discrepan; trabajadores, conformes (Businessmen, disagree; workers, agree) – See today’s article in CHL for more details. This means that your cleaning lady should be getting a 6.25% raise in 2022.

Cuenca –

Centros de vacunación acaparan los diferentes sectores etarios (Vaccination centers are monopolized by different age groups) – The Ministerio de Salud Pública (MSP) announced that the “Vacunatón 2021” will be held this weekend with the goal of innoculating 91,000 people nationally. In Azuay, vaccinations will follow the schedules determined by the Coordinación Zonal de Salud 6 and the Ministerio de Educación. First doses for children between 5 & 11 and boosters for people over 18 will be at the Poliforo de la Universidad Católica de Cuenca. 2nd doses for students between 5 & 11 will be at the Unidad Educativa Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón and the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS). People over 12 (1st & 2nd doses) and people over 18 (1st, 2nd, and boosters) can go to the following health centers: Pumapungo, Nicanor Merchán, Carlos Elizalde, Centro 2, Parque Iberia, and El Paraíso. The booster will be AstraZeneca which has an effectiveness of almost 100%. Immunosuppressed people who were vaccinated with Pfizer will receive Pfizer boosters by presenting their certificate at the El Paraíso or Tomebamba health centers. People who got J&J will get Pfizer boosters and people who got Cansino will get the same for their boosters. You can get a booster only if 6 months have passed since your 2nd dose as shown on your vaccine certificate. <I wonder if there’s going to be a wave of gringos who can leave Ecuador to visit family up north, but now won’t be able to return unless they have their vaccinations? A reminder that you’ve got to live with the choices you make.>

Pacientes con inmunodeficiencias protestan ante falta de medicina (Immunodeficiency patients protest against lack of medicine) – Members of the Fundación PIDE (Inmunodeficiencias Primarias Ecuador – Primary Immunodeficiencies Ecuador) protested outside the hospital José Carrasco Artreaga (IESS) over the non-existance of human immunogolublin. The treatments have not been available and are vital since patients do not have any natural immunity. The patients also called for more specialists and an annual budget to cover treatments.

Solidaridad con personas de la tercera edad (Solidarity with the elderly) – The Colegio de Médicos gave a Christmas party to seniors at the Hogar Cristo Rey este domingo. There was a mass, singing by two doctors, and gifts of pajamas and a refrigerator. The Colegio also donated boxes of juice and milk with the support of Nutrileche.

Tras reparación reanudan la circulación del tranvía (Tram resumes operation after repairs) – Repairs to damage to a post supporting the overhead electrical wires for the tram were finished today. A truck hit the post Sunday night and caused the Tranvía to shut down from the Terminal Terrestre to Milchichig. The driver left, but the truck belongs to a business which will be charged with the cost of the repairs. <I bet that driver didn’t even bother to show up for work el lunes.> The city said that the main causes of tranvía accidents are not respecting signals, speeding, and driving drunk. <Probably the main causes of most traffic accidents – anywhere in the world.>

Region –

Se firmará el contrato para obras del km 49 (Contract for work at km 49 to be signed) – Marcelo Cabrera, ministro de Transporte announced that the contract to stabilize the slope at km. 40 on the vía Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme will be signed el jueves for $8 million. The contractor, and place and time for signing the contract were not announced.

Nacional –

Declaran Fuerza Mayor en sector petrolero, inicia cierre de pozos (Force Majeure declared in oil sector, well closures begin) – See this afternoon’s CHL article for story.

Stock de combustibles (Fuel stocks) – Petroecuador ratified that it has enough gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, fuel oil for electrical generation, and domestic gas in all of its terminals and sales will be normal. Meanwhile, both SOTE and OCP are building emergency variants which will allow resumption of pumping of crude. This is expected to take at least 15 days.

Mundo –

Escasez de cerveza (Beer shortage) – <Don’t panic – this is a “Mundo” story and not a “Nacional” story.> Bavaria, the main brewery in Colombia announced a temporary shortage of some of its products in different areas of the country due to various factors including the container crisis that the international market is suffering and anti-Government protests in mayo y junio. The company has been working to minimize the effect. <I know for some of you, that would be a crisis of earth shattering proportions if it happened here.>,

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne
___________________

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.