Ecuador Gives Citizens 9 Months to Register Cell Phones

According to ElComercio.com Ecuador is fulfilling its promise to increase security measures for mobile phone users and decrease the rate of cell phone theft. The Minister of Telecommunications, Jaime Guerrero announced today, Thursday July 7th that the government issued a registration deadline for cell phone customers nine months from July 5, 2011. Guerrero announces that any mobile device that is not registered by the given deadline will be terminated from service. Officials say that the phones without registration by the deadline will only be able to receive calls and messages. Officials add that prepaid mobile users will be able to use their phones for a period of one year, however after that time-period the phone must be registered again. Also, officials announce that mobile phone companies will be able to register phones at their service centers.Read Article

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Ecuador, Manabi Receives Funds to Improve Security

Hoy.com.ec reports on Wednesday July 6th that Ecuadorian Interior Minister, Jose Serrano announced the Manabi Province will receive $15 million for security improvements. Serrano says that Manta will be the first city with security cameras installed on all urban transportation services. Officials report that the Pacific Eloy Alfaro Refinery, the Municipality of Manta and the […]

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Ecuador: Relocation of President’s Headquarters

According to ElComercio.com President Rafael Correa has announced in May that the presidential headquarters will be moved from the Carondelet Palace to a complex in Epiclachima barracks located in south Quito. El Comercio reports that a debate has begun surrounding the history of Plaza Grande and relocation of the government headquarters. Ecuadorian historian, David Gomez […]

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CIA Ties to Ecuadorian Organizations says U.S. Investigator

According to Andes.info.ec interview with Eva Golinger, a United States writer and investigator, many Ecuadorian organizations receive funding from the U.S. State Department through agencies like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Goliger continues to say that these funds are specific for destabilizing the government of Rafael […]

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Ecuador: Government to Control, Regulate NGOs

Andes.info.ec reports that President Rafael Correa is leading a campaign to create more transparency in Ecuador. The government is beginning a process to regulate non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that the president says mostly do good, but some engage in chaos through policy creation, impose foreign policy and destabilize progressive governments. President Correa says that some NGOs […]

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Ecuador: Remittances Moving Easily to Ecuador

According to Andes.info.ec some Ecuadorian provinces have signed agreements with the Universal Postal Union and the Postal Union of the Americas that will implement the electronic system IFS, to make sending payment and electronic fund transfers easier. In turn, this means that Ecuadorian migrants will be able to send remittances back to Ecuador in less […]

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Guayaquil, Ecuador: Lack of Medicine in Mobile Hospital, Ministry of Health

According to ElUniverso.com, the Ministry of Public Health has opened a mobile hospital in Guayaquil. The center opened its doors at 7 a.m. on Monday June 27th. Many people were already lined-up waiting for care, reports radio station Citynoticias. However people have to wait in line for an average of 3 hours. El Universo reports […]

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Ecuadorian Awarded in Israel for Saving Jews in WWII

Hoy.com.ec reports that the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem awarded Manuel Antonio Borrero a medal of ‘National Justice’ for saving Jews during World War II. The medal was awarded on Thursday June 23rd. According to Hoy, this is the highest award of honor given to non-Jews who helped save Jewish lives. Borrero who was born in […]

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Ecuador: CONELEC Denied Protective Action Against Rising Electricity Rates

According to ElComercio.com a judge of the Guayas judicial system denied a protective action against rising electricity rates for the National Electricity Council (CONELEC) today, Thursday June 23rd. Miguel Palacios, president of the Civil Council of Guayaquil (JCG) lead the indictment and will appeal the ruling. The judge says that she could not provide a […]

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Ecuador: Express Kidnappings and Robberies Increasing in 2011

According to ElUniverso.com the Attorney of the Judicial police in Guayaquil denounced the increasing express kidnapping and violent robberies that are occurring in the Guayas province. As of yesterday 24 express kidnappings have been reported to authorities this month. However, President Rafael Correa reported last week that crimes had dropped by 15% from 2010 in […]

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Ecuador: DAC Suspends Air Cuenca Operations

According to ElTiempo.com.ec the Directorate of Civil Aviation, DAC reported that it has suspended Air Cuenca flights since the company has not complied with repair plans for an aircraft. A Boeing 737 owned by the company had a ‘mishap’ when leaving the runway of Mariscal Lamar on May 13th. No one was hurt. However, the […]

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Cyber Attack on Website of Ecuadorian President

According to ElUniverso.com President Rafael Correa’s website and information portal were hacked this past Sunday. The government reported the incident Monday June 20th. El Universo reports that a group called “Latin Hack Team” took responsibility for the attack. A message saying, “Against the hypocrisy and corruption of government, for freedom of expression,” was left on […]

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New Cultural Center In Guayaquil, Ecuador

ElUniverso.com reports that Guayaquil will house the new municipal Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art between the street of Rocafuerte and Loja. Melvin Hoyos, director of municipal Culture and Civic Promotion says that the center will house the cultural property of more than 14,000 pieces that was unable to be accommodated by the municipal museum. […]

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Ecuadorian Government Launches Investigation into Death of Barcelona Fan

According to the president’s private secretary, Gustavo Jalkh, an investigation will be launched into the death of an Ecuadorian who was beaten to death by supporters of a soccer team during a game in Guayaquil on Sunday June 12th. The game was between Barcelona, a Guayaquil team and Liga de Quito, a team from Ecuador’s […]

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Ecuador: Bill Passes to Combat Bulling in Schools

ElUnvierso.com reports that the House of Congress in Ecuador approved a bill to eradicate all forms of physical and psychological violence. The bill also prevents all forms of harassment that occurs between schoolchildren. Congress approved the bill unanimously. The newly passed bill covers violence inflicted using technology or any new device of communication. El Universo […]

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Ecuador: Death Threat Sent to Judge

According to ElUniverso.com Homero Fernandez, the judge of the 12th Civil Court of Pichincha says that he is receiving death threats from a “group of corrupt lawyers” that want an immediate ruling in a case. The judge received a threat saying he had 72 hours to deliver a verdict on this trial and that if […]

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Ecuador: Cockfights Continue, Despite Referendum

According to ElUniverso.com only four of the eight-four cantons, located in the costal region of Ecuador, are allowed to perform cockfighting activities as a result of the referendum on May 7th. Only Esmeraldas, Montalvo, Valencia, and Las Lajas voted against question eight in the referendum. Therefore they are exempt from the prohibition. All the other […]

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Ecuador: Elite Police Force Results on Crime Released Next Week

According to ELUniverso.com the Ecuador’s Minister of the Interior, Jose Serrano announced that along with the elite police groups implemented by the national police, a plan called “safe circuits” will be exercised in an effort to reduce levels of crime. The elite police groups have been in place for about 21 days, however in Guayaquil, […]

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Ecuador, USD 351 Million From Oil Revenue For Amazon Social Projects

According to Ecuadorenvivo.com the Ecuadorian government has put aside USD 352 million for social projects in the Amazon. An Ecuadorian law that recently passed requires the government to reserve 12% of oil revenues for communities where oil is extracted. In the past, a dollar was given to local social projects for every barrel of extracted […]

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Ecuador’s Fight Against Cultural Artifact Trafficking, Repatriation From Abroad

On Wednesday June 8th the National Commission of the Fight Against Illicit Trafficking of Ecuador’s Heritage, held a meeting to discuss the illegal trafficking of Ecuador’s cultural property. Interpol reports that the drug trafficking, arms, sex trade, and trade of cultural property are the three largest illegal money-moving networks in the world. Ecuador has lost […]

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Ecuador: Interior Minister, Permanent Security Patrol Gulf of Guayaquil

Ecuadorenvivo.com reports that Interior Minister, Jose Serrano with the National Police commander, Patricio Franco and commander of the Navy, Daniel Donoso visited the area, San Lorenzo, Thursday, where many robberies have been occurring. Last Saturday 10-armed men assaulted the villagers of this island. The men robbed the community on speedboats. About 20 families live on […]

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Esmeraldas, Ecuador: Minister Questions Destruction of Mining Machinery

According to ElUniverso.com a legislator of the Democratic Popular Movement (MPD) Linder Altafuya is questioning the destruction of mining machinery on May 21 by three ministers of the Biodiversity Committee of the National Assembly. Altafuya is questioning the legality of the actions by these minister that left one wounded and more than 67 earthmovers destroyed […]

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Ecuadorian Government Withdrawals Parts of Tax Reform, Electrical Tariffs

According to LaHora.com.ec the government has decided to backtrack on an issue of their tax reform and review the tax on cars. The basis of electrical consumption for subsidy elimination was changed as well. Also, the green tax is under review. The business community believes that these moves are politically motivated. President Rafael Correa stated […]

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Esmeraldas, Ecuador: Ministers Defend Mining Intervention

According in Hoy.com.ec Interior Minister Jose Serrano and Security Minister Homero Arellano defended the military operation where 67 “retroescapadoras,” or earthmover used for illegal mining and extraction by small-scale miners in the San Lorenzo canton. The two ministers state that in eight months these miners were able to extract more than USD 100 million without […]

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Ecuador, Calls for Impeachment, Minister of Social and Economic Inclusion

According to Hoy.com.ec Galso Lara, assemblyman of the party Sociedad Patriotica and member of the fiscal and political control Commission presented the Legislative Management Council (CAL) an impeachment request against Ximena Ponce, Minister of Social and Economic Inclusion. The press release stated that Ponce dialed to conduct a necessary check in order to prevent fraud […]

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China To Loan Ecuador USD 1 Billion

According to Hoy.com.ec the Chinese Development Bank will provide a load to Ecuador in the amount of USD 1 billion, with full discretion of the moneys’ use, sources in the negotiations with China say. The deal is not official, however the source says that negotiations are in the final phase and a formal announcement will […]

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UN General to Promote Ecuador’s Environmental Plan at General Assembly

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon will lead a session with the President of Ecuador Rafael Correa to promote Ecuador’s environmental plan and preserving Yasuni Park during the next UN General Assembly in September. The head of the Yasuni program, Ivonne Baki said that Ban suggested the idea. Reportedly, during a visit to Ecuador this past […]

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Quito, Ecuador: More Space Allowed for Graffiti Art

The municipality government of Quito and groups of graffiti artists signed the agreement on Thursday June 9th, 2011. Artists are not going to draw on historic building or the City Hall. Artists are generating more proposals for young people inclusion in Quito. With the government officials, spaces will be chosen where the artists are allowed […]

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Ecuador, School Textbooks Filled With Socialist Ideology

According to ElComercio.com the Ministry of Education has begun to provide textbooks that highlight the triumph of Rafael Correa’s rise to presidency and are written with a tone of the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels. Paragraphs are dedicated to describing a ‘citizen revolution’ and detailing the bad choices made by former presidents, reports El Comercio. […]

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Ecuador: State Takeover of Natural Gas Platform, Hydroelectric Plant

Hoy.com.es reports that the Ecuadorian government took control of offshore wells that tap natural gas and a hydroelectric power station in the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. firm Noble Energy owned these operations and had an agreement with Ecuador in which Noble Energy was compensated USD 97 million. The wells and the power plant are to […]

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Chavez, Correa Meet Privately in Salinas, Ecuador

ElUniverso.com reports that President Rafael Correa is meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Salinas. This meeting is reportedly going to last two hours and behind closed doors. The two presidents will discuss the relationship between Ecuador and Venezuela as well as the position of the countries internationally. At the same time, a bi-national meeting […]

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