Moreno Asks the Legislature Change Law to Allow Deportation of Foreign Criminals Preparation for Unexpected Events Is the Key To

Volume 4 • ISSUE 28 February 9th, 2020 • www.thecuencadispatch.com

cuadorian president, Lenín This proposed change in law Moreno asks the legislature EMoreno, asked the National comes after the murder of an Assembly on Wednesday to elderly Ecuadorian woman by a change law to allow approve a bill to reform the Human young Venezuelan who was trying deportation of foreign Mobility Law that would allow to steal her wallet near a busy authorities to expel foreigners who shopping center in the centernorth criminals are arrested for committing crimes of Quito. in Ecuador. Those who “come to harm This law “will allow us to expel our society, to murder, to commit and deport those foreigners crimes, to do organized crime, no, who come to the country to they are not welcome,” Moreno commit crimes or who are found said. committing crimes,” Moreno said This is a “topic is a priority” during a meeting with mayors of the and can be solved “if we work country at the Government Palace, in a coordinated way” between where he signed agreements on the Government, the Police, citizen security. municipalities and citizens. Moreno “Foreigners who come to visit stressed that in addition, “security the country, who come to enjoy the investments must be very well wonders of this country are always planned.” welcome (...), criminals are not,” said the president. cont. page 4.

Preparation for unexpected Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul events is the key to a safe and a gem in the center of Old satisfying expat life Cuenca

or Kent Mills, “Be Prepared” is that a rational person would want Fa motto that is essential advice to prepare for in advance,” he says. not only for Boy Scouts but for “Earthquakes, gas leaks, power expats as well. outages, supply chain disruptions, Says Kent, owner of Cuenca’s etc. are not so distressing if we’re CosasPrep store, “Although we’re prepared for them. We also need safer here than in North America to protect ourselves against crime.” — we don’t have to worry about tornadoes, hurricanes and EMPs [electromagnetic pulses], for cont. page 9. example — there are other events

he charm of Cuenca lies in its When visiting Cuenca, then, it Tbeautiful colonial architecture makes sense to stay in El Centro, in the city center. Recognized to be able to step back in time, feel by UNESCO as a World Heritage at one with the culture and history, Site, Cuenca’s El Centro is a to be able to walk in the parks and wonderful destination for visitors visit cathedrals, museums, and because many of the most historic restaurants and just wander the attractions can be visited on foot. city streets. cont. page 5. VOL 4 Publisher: ` Jonathan Mogrovejo ISSUE [email protected]

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Want another expat hangout added to the list of locations where you can find The Cuenca Dispatch? Let us know! Email us at [email protected] www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 | 3 watching that “show.” I read a column in USA Today that supported their show saying that it was empowering for them to do it and that they have the right to do sexual performances when they want to. Still doesn’t make sense to me. By Okay, before I go, the second thing that made my head sin this week— Michael Soares not music related though—was Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno’s statement of sexual harassment. I won’t go through it all here, so you’ll have to look it up yourself. I’ll just say, “What were you thinking?” I know what he MEANT to say, but it did not come out right. And it showed an old-school thought on sexual harassment. Moreno (who I How is that empowerment? support) needs to catch up to the times and really THINK about issue, not just publish an apology. That’s it for today. Call me old fashioned. Say I don’t understand female ’m sitting here listening to 97.3 WKBCO from Denver while I’m writing. The empowerment. Accuse me of being a racist for not liking rap. None of that Ireason is that this was “my” radio station while I lived in Colorado. And the will be true. But you know that already. primary DJ’s have been on it since I started listening to it in 1996. Imagine, I’m just sayin. the same people have been on it for 24 years. The reason I still listen to them is that the music they play is what I like. They have grown in their tastes as I’ve grown in mine. But neither of us strayed too far from our pure rock core. Alexa brings KBCO to me through iHeart radio and it’s wonderful. The familiarity of it all brings me comfort. I hear commercials from businesses I Put your ad here! remember and I here events and neighborhoods plugged that bring back great memories for me. Call Every once in a while, I get the weather report in the background when 098-482-2495 I’m not paying close attention and I get a brain freeze when they talk about how much snow is coming today! It’s funny because it makes me think of how much time I spent on the slopes and all the ridiculously cold days I insisted on “getting in a few runs.” But the best thing about listening to them is that I get new songs for my music library. I just hit the “Shazam” app for that on my phone and I learn who the latest musical wonders are, and I then click the link to iTunes and buy the song (Yes, I DO buy the song. I don’t steal them off the internet; we need to support new music). It’s nice because I don’t have to listen to all the music that makes no sense to me. I like some rap. But to me, most of it is demeaning to women and is nothing but a platform to see how vulgar someone can be before a Fun By The Numbers record label won’t release it or a radio station won’t play it. Like puzzles? Then you’ll love Sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will I’ve had about all I can take of “songs” like “Girls L.G.B.N.A.F.,” “Lick The have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your Balls,” “Me So Horny,” “She Swallowed It,” etc. I just can’t understand how pencil and put your Sudoku savvy to the test! people listen to this stuff. Am I getting to be that old crotchety man on the Here’s How It Works: rocker on the porch? Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9X9 grid, broken down into nine 3X3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each No, I’m just a guy who thinks that demeaning women creates an row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, environment where what we know to be wrong somehow slides into the column and box. You can figure out the order in which the number will realm of being “okay.” Some of these songs advocate hitting women. Or appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The cheating on them. Or killing them. more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle! Let’s face it, most of this kind of music is made just to see what they can sell before the artist becomes another nobody in the rap scene. Be vulgar, violent and demeaning, make a million bucks. But hey, I don’t have to listen to it (and make every attempt to not hear it), so why am I worked up about it? Well, two things happened this week that really made me wonder if I am that guy in the rocker. First, the Superbowl half-time show. I have to say it, “What the hell was that?!” In a day and age when we are trying to STOP harassment to women and not look at them as nothing but sexual objects, we have two women who are leaders in the industry, get up on stage and give a show that did nothing but objectify them! Now, I’ll give them both credit in saying that as they have aged, they have certainly put in all the work to stay in shape and look beautiful. But that doesn’t mean that running around half-naked at times, grinding and bumping half-dressed guys and just making the whole thing seem as sexual as possible was necessary. In the #MeToo days, how could they present a show like that to an audience of millions of old men, middle- aged men, young men and boys? This isn’t me saying they don’t have the right to express their beauty. After all, I am a man. But did it have to be so sexual? Couldn’t it just be about the music? Because the two of them have made some great songs. See answers on page 11 They are musicians. But “musicians” was not what came to mind while 4 | www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 it would provide an “excellent opportunity to promote the Ecuador abroad.” Moreno asks the legislature change law After joining the Andean Parliament in 2006, Baki became President of to allow deportation of foreign criminals the organization from 2007 to 2009. (Cont.) In 2010, she was chosen to head President Rafael Correa’s Yasuní-ITT Initiative, with the objective of raising $3.6 billion from the international e said the National Assembly should process the reform of the Human community in exchange for the cessation of drilling efforts to access 846 Mobility Law, that he handed over to them a few months ago. He H million barrels of oil underneath the Yasuní National Park. The project was added that a “State Security Code” that would help the authorities fight dissolved mid-2013 after failing to generate much international interest. crime has been stuck in the legislative process for two years. Baki was named Ambassador to Qatar by President Lenin Moreno in “We need it,” said the president, who at the ceremony with the mayors 2018. took the opportunity to thank the “courage” of a police officer, Josep Baki replaces Francisco Carrión who resigned the ambassadorship in Morales, who intervened in the assault on the woman. Morales also help early January in a disagreement with the Moreno government about U.S. capture the suspect in the crime. drug surveillance flights over Ecuadorian territory. Carrión claimed that The president added that everyone in all levels of society in the country Ecuador and the U.S. had not signed an agreement defining the mission of must work together with the purpose of “having safe cities and towns.” the flights, a claim the government did not deny. Following Carrión’s resignation, Moreno said he was looking for a Trump friend Ivonne Baki appointed as candidate who could forge close business ties with the U.S. government, ambassador to the United States a possible reference to Baki’s long relationship with U.S. President Trump.

Former Director of Culture accuses the mayor of censorship

driana Tamaríz confirmed her departure from the Culture Department Aof the Municipality of Cuenca during a press conference held on Friday morning at the Central School. This past Monday, Ivonne Baki was named as Ecuador’s new ambassador Tamaríz was dismissed from office by Mayor Pedro Palacios after a to the United States by President Lenin Moreno. She is stepping down presentation event on Friday, January 24. The event was meant to highlight from her current position as Ambassador to Qatar to accept the new post. the agenda for the Bicentennial of Cuenca, in San Francisco Square. At the Born in Guayaquil, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants married event, a multidisciplinary art project ‘Mestizo,’ presented a critical position Lebanese millionaire Sami ABaki at the age of 17 and moved to Lebanon. In of the government’s actions related to the October 2019 civil protests. 1982, Baki moved to Paris and studied at the Sorbonne. She later received During her speech, Tamaríz stressed that it is “unacceptable” that her master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard University. Palacios asked her to resign “for what an artist decided to express on stage” Since 1995, Baki has held positions in the administration of every and stressed that this fact has set a “disastrous precedent” in the city. Ecuadorian president. “You, Mr. Mayor, have set a disastrous precedent in the city, and In 1995, at the request of then President Sixto Duran Ballen, she worked contribute to censorship becoming a daily norm, which violates the basic on the peace negotiations for the Cenepa War. She followed this up by rights of citizens, which in my feeling is a fundamental part of democracy accepting the position as Ecuador’s US Ambassador under President Jamil and freedom of creation much more.” Mahuad, a position she kept until 2002. Tamaríz pointed out that a cultural act and an artistic work cannot be In 2000, Baki—with the aid of American tycoon Donald Trump, whom a reason for censorship, much less a cause for the revocation of office. she had met and befriended during a diplomatic trip to the United “The right to freedom of artistic creation is constitutionally guaranteed (…) States—founded the Galapagos Conservancy, after an oil spill took place to have asked me to resign because of what an artist decided to express in Galapagos Islands. on stage, it is unacceptable.” During the 2002 Ecuadorian general election, she made a failed attempt for the Presidency of Ecuador as head of META. In January 2003, Baki was appointed Minister of Industries and Productivity by President Lucio Gutierrez. While in this position, Baki also managed to have the Miss Universe 2004 pageant hosted in Quito, thanks to her friendship with Donald Trump who owned the company that organized the event. In response to criticism levied at her over the high cost of the event, Baki said that the money was “an investment” and not an expense, and that www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 | 5 Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul a gem in the center of Old Cuenca

any prefer a boutique hotel rather than a big chain hotel, especially Mwhen visiting a historic city like Cuenca. The Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul fits the bill. A patrimonial building more than 100 years old, the entire hotel has been renovated with superb attention to detail, preserving the colonial charm while outfitting the rooms with modern bathrooms, soundproofed windows, and high-quality bedding. Each of the nine rooms, including two suites, is unique with its own design and style, many with balconies and all with private baths. One especially sumptuous suite features a therapeutic Jacuzzi tub. With a 24-hour front desk, transport services available to pick you up at the airport, personal service and warm hospitality, visitors to Cuenca feel safe and protected, a home away from home. All rooms include free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, free cancellation, and daily housekeeping. Located in the heart of Cuenca, in the historic Plaza San Sebastian, all rooms face west or east, with terrific views of both the San Sebastian Church and the Cajas Mountains to the west, or the iconic New Cathedral blue domes to the east. Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul is just a minute walk from the Museum of Modern Art, or a five-block stroll up Calle Simon Bolivar to Parque Calderon, the main square of the city, bordered by the Old Cathedral and the New Cathedral. The neighborhood bustles with shops, restaurants, and coffee shops — but unlike hotels closer to Parque Calderon, San Sebastian Plaza is peaceful in the evening — Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul is perfectly situated to explore the city on foot. Enjoy a delicious breakfast with your room rate, as well as first-rate food throughout the day. Spanish-born chef Raul Carballo prepares authentic Andalusian breakfasts, lunches, and dinners in Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul’s charming restaurant. Start your day with your choice of ‘desayuno de la casa’ or ‘desayuno Experience the views from one of the balconied rooms that look over español’. The house breakfast includes eggs and bacon, fresh-baked the San Sebastian Plaza. Enjoy a free glass of sangria to celebrate the new bread and jam, your choice of fresh juice of the day, yogurt and granola, Grand Opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. and of course, tea or coffee. The Spanish breakfast includes fresh orange And bring your appetite. Chef Raul will be preparing paella and his juice, fresh-baked bread with olive oil, tomato jam, and Serrano ham, and signature $2 tapas in this toast to a ‘Night of Spain’. Artisanal Spanish beer coffee or tea. is priced specially at $2 per bottle, wine for $2 per glass, and non-alcoholic The lunch and dinner menu includes tapas Españolas, including beverages are available too. a traditional ‘tortilla de patata’, a Spanish omelet made with eggs and Come and sit and sip your sangria in the charming flower-filled lobby potatoes, served at room temperature. Try a ‘sanduche Español’ (Spanish garden and ponder how lucky we are to live in Cuenca, and have such a sandwich) and choose from a variety of gourmet ingredients, from jamón gem to share with our visitors and friends. de España (Serrano ham), to pork, grilled chicken, queso (cheese) or vegetarian, served on a crusty baguette or whole-grain bread. Craving a Valentine’s Day 2020 burger? Chef Raul will prepare a savory ‘hamburguesa española’ to order, Chef Raul will be preparing a special paella dinner for Valentine’s Day, topped with bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and served with fresh February 14, Friday that will include his authentic Spanish tapas. Dinner ‘patatas fritas’. Other special Andalusian tapas include pulpo de la Gallega- includes a glass of sangria or wine and is $14.99. Galician-style octopus; gambas al ajillo – garlic prawns; platters of chorizo Reservations are necessary, so please call to reserve your table for this – Spanish sausage and quesos- cheeses; y más. special evening. Dinner service will be from 6-10 pm. The regular menu will be available too. You’re Invited! Come and raise a toast to the Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul, Friday, February 7, 5:30 pm. Boutique Hotel Plaza Azul 8-64 Colonel Guillermo Tálbot between Simon Bolivar y Sucre Many will know the new proprietor of this boutique hotel, realtor Carla San Sebastian Plaza, Cuenca Encarnación Gonzaga, of Real Estate Clegsa Carla Encarnación. Carla is excited to show off this wonderfully renovated hotel and invites everyone Reservations: to come and raise a toast! +593 07-282-5785 Experience the views from one of the balconied rooms that look over 0968905916 the San Sebastian Plaza. Enjoy a free glass of sangria to celebrate the new 0995346050 Grand Opening on Friday, February 7, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Email: [email protected]

And bring your appetite. Chef Raul will be preparing paella and his Restaurant hours: signature $2 tapas in this toast to a ‘Night of Spain’. Artisanal Spanish beer Open for breakfast every day at 8 am is priced specially at $2 per bottle, wine for $2 per glass, and non-alcoholic Friday and Saturday: open until 9:30 pm beverages are available too. Monday – Thursday and Sunday: open until 7 pm 6 | www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 Neighborhood groups demand closure of Remigio Crespo bars and discos

omeowners on avenues HRemigio Crespo, Del Estadio and Paucarbamba, and surrounding streets, have formed a citizen committee to demand the closure of bars and discos that are in these sectors. The committee says that the location of these businesses in these neighborhoods creates disorder, insecurity and congestion of vehicles, and restlessness and anxiety to the neighbors. They have written a public letter to Pedro Palacios, the mayor of Cuenca, and they will deliver it with the signatures of support of the leaders of each zone to request immediate and definitive actions be taken. The document cites: “For months we have been facing the increase in bars, clubs or karaokes, and with it the lack of control over the correct compliance with the ordinances already established for operation of these businesses.” It goes on to say: “We not only have to endure the exaggerated volume of music, we have also witnessed street fights and arrests, in addition to seeing our sidewalks and streets turned into public urinals.” Liliana Escobar, one of the neighborhood leaders, explained that on November 25th they met with municipal authorities, the Police, and security institutions to address this problem. She said that as a result of this meeting, the representatives of these entities agreed to intensify the controls to these businesses, and to verify that they have the respective permits. In December, in the first police operation after this meeting, at least four bars were closed for not having permits. However, within a few days they reopened, said Rosendo Medina, another neighbor. Medina also said that she has at least a dozen videos, captured by the security cameras of her house, showing groups of citizens using drugs on public roads. Neighbors plan to protest and take legal action Ligia Marín, who lives at Paucarbamba and Francisco Sojos Avenue, reported that two bars have recently opened in this place and one of these works as a disco, and generates high noise and vehicular traffic. “We understand that people want to do business, want to undertake, but you cannot run over the rights that people who live in this residential sector deserve to have calm to live,” she said. She along with other neighbors have prepared a legal action in to request that these establishments be relocated to another area. She said part of their reasoning is that there are also health clinics in the area, where there are patients who need to have absolute rest. Lorena Tamaríz, who lives next to the Alejandro Serrano Aguilar stadium, said that her parents decided to lease their property and go to live outside the city because the noise, mainly, on weekends, prevented them from sleeping. “We have insistently asked the municipality to come to measure noise levels so they will realize that you can no longer live in calm here, it is a total disrespect for the right to live in decent conditions,” she said. Tamaríz announced that they have organized a protest outside the building of the Mayor’s Office of Cuenca in order to demand the mayor and councilors find a permanent solution to this problem. Complaints about speeding fines in Cuenca

uenca’s citizens are complaining that the province’s photo radar systems are poorly calibrated or photographing Cthe wrong vehicles they are accusing of speeding. However, Traffic Commission of Ecuador (CTE) officials insist that all devices are working correctly. One Cuencano, Carlos N., has been caught speeding multiple time, a nightmare that he says he “never seems to wake up from.” In 2019, he paid $600 in fines for speeding on the CuencaAzogues highway. Of that amount, he argues, he should only have two fines, because he says after those incidents, he “he learned his lesson and didn’t speed anymore. But he says, his problem with the radar system doesn’t end. Even after filing a claim with CTE that he was getting new fines that he didn’t deserve, he says he received another notification in November for the same infraction. Like Carlos, dozens of other Cuencanos have filed complaints for alleged radar errors. Marco Pineda, who is helping his 73-year-old uncle fight a photo radar ticket for speeding argues that the fine to his relative fights is unfair. “My uncle is 73 years old and he does not spend 80 kilometers per hour on that road (Cuenca-Azogues). But he received a fine that says he exceeded 110 km per hour. That is absurd,” says Pineda. The provincial director of the Traffic Commission of Ecuador in Azuay, Edison Moscoso, insists that the 50 fixed radar systems located on the roads are correctly calibrated. “There are regular reviews of the accuracy of the speed control systems,” says Moscoso, who adds that once the information is recorded by radar, it is uploaded to the computer system to generate the penalty and the offender is notified in a period not exceeding 24 hours. www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 | 7 Cuenca Mayor verifies ETAPA’s progress in Saymirín-Tixán project

TAPA-EP, Cuenca’s Municipal Telephone, Drinking Water and Sewage Canton, explained Fabián Cazar, drinking water manager of ETAPA. The ECompany, is involved in several public health projects at the moment, cost of the project as a whole will exceed $9 million, that will be funded the construction of the Saymirín-Planta de Tixán raw water pipeline, the with a loan granted by the Development Bank of Ecuador. rehabilitation of the Machángara Channel and, the construction of the The Saymirín - Tixán pipeline will supply raw water to the Tixán Interceptor XIII (a large sewer that receives flow from a number of sewers water treatment plant by means of a 4.7 km line. When the plant is fully and conducts the wastewater to a treatment plant) of the Machángara River. operational, it will provide 1,940 liters of water per minute. Combined with All three of these components are being done to ensure the production of the 800 liters per minute from the El Cebollar plant, ETAPA-EP will produce drinking water for the city. a total of 2,740 liters per second. Last Friday, Cuenca’s Mayor, Pedro Palacios, visited the sites of these The interceptor system, meanwhile, is designed to cover the entire projects to verify the status of this important sanitary infrastructure work. project area, according to the densities provided by sectors. This ensures The mayor toured the project with José Luis Espinoza, ETAPA manager, its proper functioning even when intensive settlement processes are several drinking water and sanitation technicians and construction verified in any of the areas analyzed. contractors for the project. Palacios verified that the physical progress of The work is expected to be completed during the first quarter of the the project is at 75%. 2020. The macro project includes the total installation of 22,356 linear meters of PVC pipe and ductile iron of different diameters. Once completed, the work will directly benefit 560,800 inhabitants located in the parishes of Ricaurte, Llacao, Nulti, Paccha, El Valle and several urban sectors of the 8 | www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 Illegal demolition of a patrimonial house cuadorian airline Tame reported that it will temporarily stop flying to EFort Lauderdale, in the US, of its international destinations. halted in El Centro The measure was taken because it is “carrying out processes for the installation of ADS-B-OUT equipment which [as of January 1, 2020], must be installed on all aircraft operating in the airspace of the United States of America,” according to a statement from the company. Automatic dependent surveillance—broadcast (ADS–B), is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation. Using “ADS-B Out”, each aircraft periodically broadcasts information about itself, such as identification, current position, altitude and velocity, through an on-board transmitter, enabling it to be tracked. ADS-B Out provides air traffic controllers with real-time position information that is, in most cases, more accurate than the information available with current radar-based systems. In their statement, TAME added that passengers who had tickets to that destination will be notified of transfers to other airlines to make their trip. The airline also asked users to reconfirm their itineraries by calling n Saturday morning, personnel from the Directorate of Historical and 1-700-500-800 in Ecuador and 1-800-430-2471 or by email contactme@ OPatrimonial Areas halted destruction of a building with heritage value tame.com.ec. that was being demolished to build a parking lot in the center of Cuenca. Tame flies to Fort Lauderdale from Guayaquil and Quito.The other two The property is located on Mariano Cueva street, between Juan airlines that fly to Fort Lauderdale are Spirit and JetBlue. Jaramillo and Presidente Córdova, located in an a part of the city designated as an Historic and Heritage Area. * TAME company statement: https://www.tame.com.ec/index.php/es/ Before city officials were able to stop the demolition, the rear part of the sala-de-prensa/1489comunicado-oficial-para-pasajeros-con-destino-a- building—whose predominant building material is adobe—was destroyed. fort-lauderdale After being demolished by a backhoe, the material was removed in a truck. According to the archives of the Directorate of Historical and Patrimonial Areas, the building is part of the inventory of historic structures made by In Ecuador, 15% of women of the Municipality in 2009. childbearing age have anemia Felipe Manosalvas, director of Historic Areas of the Municipality of Cuenca, said that the property is protected by the Organic Law of Culture and the Ordinance for the Management and Conservation of Historic and Heritage Areas, which outline fines and penalties for any unauthorized changes to the structure. He added that fortunately, the authorities were able to stop the demolition before too much damage had been done, “I think we intervened in time.” Manosalvas said that once the preventive closure has been issued, the administrative sanctioning procedure is carried out and then prosecution against the perpetrator is subsequently filed with the justice system. In the administrative process, the Municipality has the power to issue economic sanctions and force the landowner to repair the damage, maintaining the aspects that gave it the equity value such as architecture or materials. The courts can also sanction the individual with up to three years in prison. Last year, the Municipality intervened in three other cases of heritage ccording to the Health and Nutrition Survey of Ecuador (ENSANUT), houses being demolished or partly destroyed. The violators in those cases A15% of women of reproductive age have anemia. Anemia, according have been punished with financial fines and the obligation to rebuild the to nutritionist Dayana Elizalde, is alarming, because if these women get properties as they were before demolition. pregnant, the fetus will suffer the consequences. “If they are in pregnant and have not had a good diet before and during that period, they condition the health of their child,” says Elizalde. The specialist points out that both malnutrition and obesity can cause Tame temporarily suspends flights to anemia. In Ecuador 1 in 4 children has malnutrition and 3 in 10, obesity. Fort Lauderdale Endocrinologist Miriam Estrella explains that Ecuadorians have a high consumption of carbohydrates and fried foods. “Excess body fat and low nutrients can cause preeclampsia or gestational diabetes in pregnant women.” In addition, anemia in pregnancy has a strong impact on the cognitive area of children, who may have learning difficulties. “If parents do not eat well, they will do less with their children,” says psychotherapist Carmita Vera. To prevent any problems during pregnancy, women should change their diet, at least one semester before a planned pregnancy. “We advocate family planning, and within this is to establish healthy habits [for not just the mother, but the entire family],” says Elizalde. Health professionals’ recommendations for a good diet prior to a planned pregnancy include: * Eat Five meals a day: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon and dinner. They should have portions of fruits and vegetables. * Establish a meal schedule. * Eat less beef and more fish. www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 | 9 Preparation for unexpected events is According to Kent, the game is intended to bring potential customers the key to a safe and satisfying expat into the shop. “The idea is make new friends and to show people the life products we offer. If they come in, I think they’ll be impressed.” or Kent Mills, “Be Prepared” is a motto that is essential advice not only Ffor Boy Scouts but for expats as well. Says Kent, owner of Cuenca’s CosasPrep store, “Although we’re safer CosasPrep, in the back of Sunrise Café, 9-38 Calle Larga; here than in North America — we don’t have to worry about tornadoes, Website: www.CosasPrep.com; hurricanes and EMPs [electromagnetic pulses], for example — there are Phone: 096 994 1855; other events that a rational person would want to prepare for in advance,” Email: [email protected] he says. “Earthquakes, gas leaks, power outages, supply chain disruptions, etc. are not so distressing if we’re prepared for them. We also need to protect ourselves against crime.” Located in the back of the popular Sunrise Café on Calle Larga in Cuenca, CosasPrep offers a wide variety of personal health and safety protection products, many of them unavailable elsewhere in town. Household consumption sinks and Among the store’s most popular products are motion detection alarms, deepens the stagnation of the economy security cameras, water purifying systems, smoke and gas monitors, fire extinguishers, emergency lights and other useful household items like language translators. “One of the things we do on regular basis is get feedback from expats, particularly those who are customers of Sunrise Café,” Kent says. “We want to make sure we stock the items people need. Oddly enough, bug zappers are one of the biggest sellers at CosasPrep, Kent says. “These were often requested on a written survey by people dining at the Sunrise Café.” Opened in 2018, CosasPrep is going through a kind of “reboot,” Kent says. For the first time in months, the store is almost stocked to his standards. Because of import problems, maintaining a reliable flow of merchandise is an ongoing challenge, he explains. “We are still trying to understand Ecuador’s import rules and how they are interpreted. They seem to change without notice and apply differently even when shipments are the same items.” In some cases, there are outright prohibitions for importations, such as for pepper spray, he says. In others, such as for paper surgical masks, the item can only be imported with a special license available only to large companies “Figuring out the system sometimes seems almost impossible,” ne of the main pillars of the growth of the Gross Domestic Product Kent adds. (GDP) is household consumption. Unfortunately, the purchasing This hand-help personal alarm provides protection when you’re in O capacity of Ecuadorian families has been steadily reducing in recent public places. years. If the demand for goods and services does not increase, companies Helping out with the import dilemma is CosasPrep general manager produce less and require less staff. This completes the vicious circle of low Lorena Flores, who spends a lot of her time on the phone with customs economic activity, low quality employment and less income. and regulatory issues. “She’s able to cut through the red tape that I can’t,” By 2020, according to multilateral organizations such as the Kent says. “I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Kent says. International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the Economic Commission for Latin The CosasPrep website includes all the store’s products and prices America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Ecuador’s economic growth will be, as well as an information section covering such topics as the dangers at best, between 0.1% and 0.2%. The Central Bank is a bit more optimistic of propane gas, taking care of pets during emergencies, medical and establishes a GDP increase of 0.7%. Only Argentina and Venezuela will preparedness and personal safety. fare worse, with falls of 1.3% and 11%, respectively. CosasPrep also offers a number of free services for those who come This reality is reinforced in the progressive deterioration of the spending by the store, including free blood pressure checks, cell phone labeling of households. and electro-magnetic field (EMF) measurement for cell phones, blocks for Between 2001 and 2006, consumption in that sector grew at an average laptop, tablet and phone cameras. They will also provide change for U.S. of 3.5% per year and contributed 73% of the 4.8% growth in GDP. From 2007 bills under $20. to 2014, household purchases increased by 2.5% and their contribution According to Kent, the game is intended to bring potential customers to increased production fell to 57%. However, since 2015, according to into the shop. “The idea is make new friends and to show people the Santiago García, an economist and professor at the Central University, that products we offer. If they come in, I think they’ll be impressed.” contribution has collapsed, and household spending has only risen 0.5%. In 2019, the percentage was the lowest of the last 20 years with just 0.1%. During the last 18 quarters, Ecuador’s GDP has only grown by 0.4% on average. “The deterioration of the labor market, through the increase in informal employment, is related to the fall in production, which in turn causes a significant reduction in income and consumption,” Garcia said. In fact, over that time, the average growth of 0.4% is lower than the annual increase of 1.6% in the population. GDP per capita, not including the effect of inflation, has been reduced, since 2014, from $ 4,394 to $ 4,210. That means that each Ecuadorian decreased their purchasing power by $184. Around 6 million Ecuadorians are part of the middle class. A typical family within this segment has a monthly income of around $860. 10 | www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 CRIME REPORT AND ACCIDENT REPORT

Cuenca and National Criminal Activity Preliminary information provided by the inhabitants of the sector indicates (Cuenca) On Tuesday morning, the National Police held a press conference that the owners of the house noticed the presence of three strangers inside the and reported details of the arrest of the members of an alleged criminal gang Motorized policemen and patrolmen came to investigate the crime and dedicated to the sale of drugs. said that the criminals took approximately $15,000. Five citizens (two foreigners) were arrested for the crime of drug trafficking Among the clues collected by the investigators is a helmet that one of the and sale. criminals dropped in his rush to flee. The detainees identified as Franklin RB, Juan SG, Edison E., Raúl SH and ------Carlos E.Ch., have criminal records and arrests for possession, trafficking and (Sucua-East of Cuenca) Three suspects implicated in the attack on Iván distribution of drugs. Antuni, political leader of the Huamboya canton (Morona Santiago), were held As evidence, police seized 589.18 grams of marijuana, 642 grams of cocaine, with preventive detention in a charge hearing on Saturday night, February 1, two motorcycles, 19 cell phones, $96 in cash, three scales, and 4 weapons. 2020. Elvis Leandro N., Juan Carlos N. and Fredi Hermen N., are prosecuted for ------their alleged participation in the attempted assassination of the political chief, (Cuenca) On Tuesday, police also announced the arrest of two individuals since at the time of the hearing Antuni was seriously injured, but alive. for the crime of auto theft. However, on the morning of this Sunday, February 2nd, his death was Franklin AR (with four prior judicial proceedings for theft of accessories) and confirmed. Hence, the Prosecutor’s Office requested that the judge day restate Franklin H. (with 8 prior judicial proceedings for theft of vehicles) were found the charges to murder. The suspects were captured on Saturday in Sucúa, with a Grand Vitara and tools as evidence of criminal acts. police said. ------(Cuenca) On Tuesday, police announced the arrest of Danilo SR at Luis Luis Nawech, of the Interprovincial Federation of Shuar Centers (FICSH), Cordero and Honorato Vázquez streets for the crime of robbery in pharmacies. explained to a local media that the incident was recorded at the Estudio 45 In his possession they found a cell phone that was stolen from a person who nightclub in the city of Sucúa. According to Nawech, Antuni had received works in a pharmacy in the city. Police said the detainee is also the perpetrator threats and before being stabbed, pointed out followers of a former president of the robbery and assault in Azogues. of the organization. ------(Cuenca) On Monday, four criminals on two motorcycles assaulted a citizen The Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that the event was recorded who was in front of a business at Avenida de Las Américas and Juan Pío around 02:40 on Saturday, inside the discotheque. The victim was stabbed and Montúfar. suffered a wound in the right inguinal region, that cut the femoral artery. According to witnesses, two criminals got off their motorcycle and pointed ------guns at their victim to steal his belongings. They then fled. (Guayas) The National Police dismantled a criminal organization accused of the victim and hid in the bathroom of a place located on Mariano Cueva and smuggling and confiscated merchandise valued at $216,300. In the operation, Juan Jaramillo. The woman recognized her phone and the assailant. called ‘Victoria 83’, six citizens of Ecuadorian nationality were arrested, six After the hearing on charges that took place on the morning of Wednesday, vehicles were retained, and evidence was collected that will be submitted to January 29, the judge issued preventive detention for Carlos Alberto C. prosecutors. ------With the support of the National Directorate of the Judicial Police and (Riobamba) In the city of Riobamba, a Cuencano is being detained for the Investigations and its Customs and Tax Crimes Unit, the police operation was crime of fraud committed in Alausí. carried out in conjunction with the GOE in the provinces of Guayas, Pichincha, The citizen identified as John Alejandro SA, was captured in Huaquillas Imbabura and Carchi. when he tried to leave the country and was transferred to the Riobamba prison. “The detainees are engaged in the entry, mobilization and marketing The defendant offered the victims work visas for the United States and Canada. of goods of foreign origin (e.g., 432,600 cigarettes) using private vehicles. John Alejandro SA cheated citizens by telling them that he would get them The merchandise is entered through border crossings without paying taxes, the appointment at the consulate and that they would leave with their work causing an economic loss to the national treasury and threatening the health visa, however, that appointment was never made. of the people,” the National Police said in a statement. In Cuenca, there are 16 complaints for the same crime against the same The detainees were admitted to the Temporary Assurance Zone for the citizen. charges hearing. “In the city of Cañar and Azogues there are also 6 complaints for the same crime. The defendant never had a landline number and that is why it was more Cuenca Area Traffic Accidents difficult for his victims to contact him,” said the lawyer of one of the people cheated. (Cuenca) 32-year-old Luis Efraín Segarra Cajilima died under strange Carlos, one of the complainants, announced that he met John through circumstances on Tuesday night around 11:00 p.m. in the Terrestrial common friendships and that he offered him a job. “I had to find people who are Terminal sector. interested in the trip and help them process the delivery of financial resources,” Segarra’s death generated confusion because minutes before finding he said. him dead, he was seen fighting with people linked to prostitution and it He explained that twice he gave cash to the defendant, but that “the was believed that he was the victim of an assault. appointments at the consulate and the trips offered were never made.” However, Mario Castro, head of the Azuay Police Subzone, confirmed Carlos now faces a lawsuit for $7,000, money he gave to the defendant. His that the Segarra’s was involved in a traffic accident. defense attorney indicated that the economic damage of the multiple scams The police chief said that images captured by security cameras in the committed by John Alejandro SA amounts to $80,000. area it is show that a vehicle ran over Segarra and fled to an unknown ------destination. (Nulti) Two citizens were saved from being lynched by the inhabitants of ------the Allpayacu community, belonging to the Nulti parish, after being caught (Cuenca) Maritza Mejía from Ochoa Leon was killed in a traffic accident breaking into a house. between a motorcycle and a car around 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Preliminary information provided by the inhabitants of the sector indicates intersection of Barrial Blanco and Armenillas streets. that the owners of the house noticed the presence of three strangers inside the Investigations indicate that the motorcycle crashed into the side of the house and alerted other neighbors of their presence. car and broke the window and hit Mejía, who was seated in the passenger Upon observing that the owners noticed their presence, the alleged seat. www.thecuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | VOL 4 ISSUE 28 | 11 (Cuenca) On the afternoon of Monday afternoon, an elderly woman died after being hit by a motorcycle on the North Pan American Highway. IMF coming to review status of The accident happened at 2:55 p.m. when the 71-year-old woman requirements for further funding crossed the main road and was struck by the motorcycle, whose driver fled after the accident. IESS paramedics attempted to treat the victim at the scene but found she had no vital signs due to severe injuries to her head and other parts of her body. Juan Moscoso, a civil transit agent, said there are indications that the motorcycle was traveling at high speed because after the impact the victim was dragged about 10 meters on the road, which caused multiple fractures and consequently her death. Agents said that they will review the images captured by the security cameras that exist in the sector to determine the circumstances of the accident and establish responsibilities. his month the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will arrive in Ecuador The motorcycle was retained to check who it belongs and to find the Tto evaluate the country’s progress on (for the fourth time) the “goals” whereabouts of the driver. set by the international organization with the Government in March 2019. ------Last December, the IMF said there would be some “flexibility” with the (Miraflores) On Saturday, February 1st, around 9:30 p.m., Carlos Jara, 63, goals because of the problems the country faced last October when it died after his vehicle rolled over in Miraflores, north of Cuenca. tried to remove fuel subsidies across the country (this was one of the IMF’s According to witnesses, the vehicle descended the steep Rosalino goals). Quintero street and when it reached the intersection with Antonio Neumane Thru last December, the IMF released $1.4 billion dollars that it had street, it fell into a slope approximately 15 meters deep. agreed to provide for 2019. Similar amounts have been promised for Paramedics reported that they applied resuscitation maneuvers to the 2020 and 2021. This will complete the $4.2 billion approved in the initial driver, but the victim did not respond to their efforts and was pronounced agreement. The question now is if Ecuador can meet the new requirements dead at the scene. imposed on it. ------Although the IMF relaxed its goals for Ecuador, economist Carlos De (Cuenca) A person in an apparent drunken state was run over on La Torre said it is still difficult for the country to meet them—especially Avenida de Las Amércias, on Monday night, around 9:30 p.m. those that need support from the public to execute, such as the targeting Cristian Banegas, EMOV traffic inspector, reported that at Avenida de of subsidies. Las Américas and Paseo Milchichig, the victim was while crossing the road “After the agreement with the indigenous movement, President Lenín where there is no pedestrian crossing or a safe corner to cross the road. Moreno announced a targeting of the subsidies that is still unfulfilled and “When we arrived at the scene, the citizen who was driving the car was it is difficult to give. The Government has no support from Ecuadorians and providing first aid to the citizen,” he explained. if [Moreno] does not want to encourage the popular uprising again, the The victim was transferred to Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital after he most logical response would be to not do it, but this is a very important was assessed by the first responders. requirement for the IMF and I don’t think they are willing to forgive [this ------forever, ”said the expert. (Cuenca) Between Friday night, January 31st and early Saturday, Another problem the Government faces is it does not have the support February 1, 2020, several breathalyzer control operations were carried out to meet the IMF’s requirement that Diana Atamaint, President of the by the civil traffic agents of the EMOV, resulting in 12 drivers being arrested, National Electoral Council (CNE), be prosecuted. Without the backing 11 for driving under the influence of alcohol and one for not having a driver’s of the National Assembly, the Bank of CREO (one of its main allies in license. this), Atamaint will remain in her position and pending laws will become According to article 385 of the Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code, increasingly difficult to pass. driving while intoxicated is punishable by imprisonment for five to 30 days, The government already had a setback from legislators last October depending on the level of alcohol in the blood and fines ranging from one when they refused to approve the Economic Growth Law that contained to three basic salaries. tax reforms, changes to the Central Bank and public finances. Of the three, When there are no aggravating factors, the judges often sentence only the tax issue was approved in a second attempt; the other two issues drivers to penalties of community service as a substitute measure for the are still “pending” in the National Assembly. prison. In addition to these problems, because of lack of support, the Government has not even attempted to present its Labor Reform bill to the legislature. But this is a major requirement form the IMF to move forward Start making on its 2020 and 2021 commitments. $$$ online in less then 6 weeks.

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