Miércoles, 4/1/2017: San Francisco Plaza vendor stalls displayed, Art bienal continues, IVA refunds, Drag theater

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Charla – There will be a talk about Ecuadorian journalism (a species under threat of extinction?) tomorrow at 10:00 in the Sala de Audiovisuales at the CCE.

Repeats of yesterdays items –

Mini – course in graphic design for publicity at Estudio 14.  Info at 096 750 6499 or estudio14@hotmail.com
Teatro drag – 3 performances in El Sono Wed. to sábado at 20:00.  Call 2850-859 for reservations.
Cantante colombiana – Urpi Barco will perform Thurs. at 20:00 in the sala “Alfonso Carrasco”.

Articles about –

New Ley de Cultura – CCE of Azuay President Iván Petroff feels that the autonomy that CCE currently enjoys will disappear.  (For reasons too complicated for me to untangle.)  The Minister of Culture and Patrimony will establish cultural public policies and the CCE Benjamin Carrión (I think the main branch in Quito) will execute those policies.  The law creates 3 new entities – the Instituto Nacional de la Memoria Social, in charge of archives and repositories; el Instituto Nacional de las Artes y Innovación; and el Instituto de Fomento (promotion) a las Artes y Creatividad.   The funds currently held by the Foncultura will be passed onto the Fondo (fund) de Fomento de las Artes.

Bienal – The exposition is entering its last month.  There are 13 (If I counted right – which is not something I can count on.) artists showing at MMAM.

Libro – A book written by Oswaldo Durán González while he was in prison will be launched tomorrow at 18:30 in the Sala de Conciertos in the CCE (Cordero y Córdova, 3d flr.).  Whoever arrested him, thought he was involved in the kidnapping of Pres. León Febres Cordero on 16/1/1987.  The book is a collection of stories based on the history of the country, and more than half of them are about José María Urbina who was a soldier for independence and fought in Tarqui (Is that like saying someone fought at Valley Forge?) and was the president who abolished slavery (This guy really did believe in Independence – in a way the founders of America didn’t.), expelled the Jesuits, and “se enfrentó a la derecha” (confronted the right).

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Se preparan para concurso de Comparsas (Preparing for the Comparsa competition) – The parade will be this próximo viernes, 6/1.  The biggest entries are the U. of Cuenca with the theme of El Circo de Charadas y Chendos (The Circus of Charades and Chendos (morlaca for lies), and the U. de Azuay with the theme of “No dejes de Soñar, Vive la Magia de los Cuentos (Do not Stop Dreaming, Live the Magic of Stories).  (The students build tall structures.  Are there overhead lines crossing Huayna Cápac?)

San Francisco Plaza – The prototype for the new vendors’ stalls went on display today in the Plaza El Otorongo where the merchants will be temporarily relocated during the work on San Francisco Plaza.  The contract for the work will be signed early next month with the work projected to start on 14/2 (Happy Valentine’s Day) and last 10 months.  The schedule has the merchants being relocated between 24/1 and 4/2.  (I wonder if any of them will have a moving sale?)

Odebrecht – An order was issued yesterday prohibiting public institutions from contracting with the Brazilian construction firm. Currently, there is only one open contract with the Municipio de Quito.

IVA refunds – The SRI brought IVA refunds to vulnerable groups up to date today, crediting $9,000,000 to 48,236 seniors and disabled.  (So did you get a nice surprise in your bank account?)

Campaign – The first campaign events were held and the first campaign promises were made.  (You’ll have to go to www.elmercurio.com.ec for yourself to read them. You should be pretty burned out on campaign promises already – do you really want to beat yourself up some more?)

Panamericana Sur – The stretch between Control Sur and the Y of Tarqui is congested with too much traffic and too many curves leading to constant accidents. An alternate road next to the Tarqui River is being discussed.

Internacional –

Colombia – An engagement between military and guerrillas of ELN left one guerrilla dead.

Venezuela – Chavismo, the main political force in Venezuela for the past 18 years is now in the minority.  According to Datanálisis, independents are 45%, opposition 27% and the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (the main chavista party) at only 18%.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne