Ten cops arrested in narco network raids; Salazar one of Time magazine’s ‘most influential’; Dance and orchestra concerts on agenda; ‘Dry law’ is in effect

Viernes, 19/4/2024

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

Dos artes en el escenario (Two arts on the stage) – The Compañía de Danza and the Orquesta Sinfónica de la U. de Cuenca will present “Mixturas,” a dance gala el jueves, 25/4 and el viernes 26/4 a las 20:00 in the Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz. Tickets are available at La Victoria or at the theater ticket booth. Cost: $10.00.

Pianist Johnny Bravo played unpublished European and Latin American compositions at the María Astudillo Montesinos House Museum on Friday. The music was recently discovered in a 100-year-old metal trunk. (El Mercurio)

Concierto en el Pumapungo – There will be a concert with Ruth Diaz and Baritone Diego Zamora accompanied by members of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca. They will perform “Gala Lírica” interpreting compositions by Verdi, Tchaikovski y Donizetti. The concert will be el 7/6 <This is unheard of advance notice for an event.> in the Teatro Pumapungo. <I guess with enough time to plan on going or not, there had to be something else wrong. No time given for the performance.> Free. Limited capacity.

Actividades por el Día del Libro (Book Day Activities) – The Casa de la Cultura has prepared a schedule of activities for the Día Internacional del Libro in the city as well as in rural parishes. The Mobile Library will tour schools in the canton including in Checa, Sidcay, Sinincay, y Chiquintad. On el viernes, 19/4 a las 16:00, there will be a story reading event, “Abu, cuéntame un cuento” (Abu, tell me a story), with children and seniors from the Universidad para el Adulto Mayor. It will be in the Salón del Pueblo “Efraín Jara Idrovo.” Next week there will be a theatrical tour on the art of bookmaking on el 22/4 a las 16:00 and el 23/4 a las 9:00, 11:00 y 15:00. <No, this event will not take place at the parimutuel windows at your local racetrack.> No location given.

Conference, exhibit and concert – There was a concert by pianist and researcher Johnny Bravo <sounds like the name of a movie cowboy> el viernes, 19/4 a las 19:30 in the Casa Museo María Astudillo Montesinos. Bravo played unpublished pieces of music that are over 100 years old. The sheet music came from Europe and Latin America and was found in a metal trunk. At this event, you will be able to see the original scores, the famous trunk, and share a glass of wine.

De El Mercurio del jueves, 18/4 (1 article):
Agenda cultural –
20/4, 16:00 – Cine, Vidas de mujer (Movie – Women’s Lives) – Casa de las Posadas.
21/4, 10:00 – Recorrido, Ruta cultural (Tour, Cultural route) – Museo Pumapungo.
23/4, 10:00 – Proyecciones, Actividades astronómicas ( Screenings, Astronomical activities) – Planetario.

Titular –

Dolor y luto en Ponce Enríquez (Pain and mourning in Ponce Enriquez) – José Sánchez, the mayor of the Camilo Ponce Enríquez canton was assassinated. See today’s (viernes) article in CHL for the story.

Consulta Popular –

USD 230 es la multa que se cobra por violar la ley seca ($230 is the fine charged for violating the dry law) – The dry law will be in effect from 12:00 on viernes to noon el lunes because of the voting on the referendum el domingo, 21/4. The sanction for violating the law is 50% of the Salario Básico Unificado (SBU) or $230.00. The Policía Nacional are in charge of enforcing this law and controls will be intensified in tiendas and locations that sell alcohol. The Guardia Ciudadana will also conduct operations in zones with more nighttime movement to warn people about the law. <You’d have to be living under a rock or just flew in from overseas to not know about this law.>

Nacional –

Desarman ‘red criminal’ conformada por policías (‘Criminal network’ formed by police officers dismantled) – Simultaneous raids were carried out in Azuay, Esmeraldas, Manabí, Loja, El Oro, Guayas, y Pichincha provinces ayer. 14 people were detained including 4 civilians and 10 police of which 7 were uniformed officers in active service and 3 were retired police. Two are fugitives. The police were part of a narco-trafficking network, and depending on the units where they worked, they gave out privileged information, evaded controls and gave confiscated drugs back to a gang. In febrero of 2023, 3 tons of drugs were stolen in Tena. Police in criminalistics issued false certificates to retired police so they could carry arms. Also involved were police in the Antinarcotic unit, and the Centro Regional de Adiestramiento Canino (CRAC – Regional Dog Training Center – <kind of an ironic name>).

In exchange, they got between $100,000 and $200,000 for each successful operation. <A lot more lucrative than $40 for letting a speeder go.> The commander of Zone 8 (Guayaquil, Samborondón y Durán) said that $750,000 was found in all of the raids. $160,000 in cash and CD’s were found in the house of a policeman in Santo Domingo. In Guayaquil, 2 safes and a backpack containing $500,000 as well as rifles, pistols, revolvers and technology tools were seized. In Machala, a policeman had a high-end vehicle and $90,000 in his house.

De El Mercurio del jueves, 18/4 (1 article):
Fiscal Diana Salazar, entre presonas más influyentes (Prosecutor Diana Salazar, among the most influential people) – Time Magazine included attorney general Diana Salazar in its list of the 100 most influential people of 2024. Her work was rated as one of the hardest and most dangerous in the Western Hemisphere. The article highlighted her success in the convictions ex-Pres. Rafael Correa in the Sobornos case and of a senior football official; and her fight against organized crime.

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne