The Fer Mary case was  slated by conservationists to be a landmark. They had hoped that a decision handed down against poachers could have cemented the Galapagos’ court’s commitment to protect Ecuador’s Sharks. Instead the judge in this trial ruled himself “non-competent” to decide on an environmental case. Hmmm, a penal judge rules himself non-competent to rule on a penal case? Didn’t think you’d be hearing that one, huh? Well, you heard it here first.  This isn’t actually the first time a local judge has ruled his own non-competence as grounds for moving a shark poaching case out of local courts.  Earlier this year a similar charge was brought up against the Reina del Cisne which was  carrying 82 poached sharks within the Galapagos reserve.

When a local judge dismisses himself from a case based on non-competence what the judge effectively does is send the case to the mainland, I presume to Quito or Guayaquil, to a higher national court where a (hopefull) competent judge versed in environmental issues will hear the case. But how things work in these cases is that the defendants are released from custody and asked to report on their own recognizance. Will they show? Don’t hold your breath. Smugglers and pirates, criminal scum like these, will slip through the cracks and surface aboard another boat poaching for profits.

So what will be done for the Galapagos’ sharks?

Should Correa not step up with his new powers to remove judges he considers corrupt. And would it be a stretch to say that these judges might not have been “dumbed” down by a little “incentive” from poachers? Hmmmm. Certainly these judges have let down the public and the whole world as the Galapagos is an important national treasure and international bio reserve. Practically thinking,  you’d think the government would look toward the devolution of the Galapagos’ ability to sustain Eco-tourism as reason enough to install judges more competent and knowledgeable on Galapagos conservation issues. Should all the Galapagos’ sharks be annihilated so some limp Asian can enjoy a bit of cartilage in his bowl of broth or do these majestic and ancient creatures not represent a little more to this government?

What Now?

Well, here’s the part when we discuss what you can do to help. I got Ecuador’s international consulate addresses straight from the Sea Shepherd’s website. Yes, the Sea Shepherd of Whale Wars fame is one of the principal players operating in the Galapagos to defend and preserve.

Check out their campaign: http://www.seashepherd.org/galapagos/. These are the good guys and deserve our support and admiration and perhaps a belated Christmas present on behalf of the sharks and in the form of a donation.

Consulate of Ecuador USA
 2535 15th Street, NW 
Washington, D.C.  20009 
Tel: (202) 234-7166 
Fax: (202) 265-9325 
email: consuladodc@ecuador.org
website: http://www.ecuador.org

Embassy of Ecuador USA
 2535 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 234-7200
Fax: (202) 667-3482
Email: embassy@ecuador.org

Embassy of Ecuador UK 
Flat 3b, 3 Hans Crescent
London
SW1X 0LS
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7584 2648 / 1367 / 8084
Fax: +44 (0)20 7823 9701

Embassy of Ecuador Canada
 50 O’Connor Street, Suite 316
Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1P 6L2
Tel: +1 (613) 563-8206 / 4286?
Fax: +1 (613) 235-5776
Email: mecuacan@rogers.com

Ecuador Consulate, Toronto Canada 
151 Bloor St, West, Suite 470 
Toronto
Ontario 
Canada 
M5S 1S4 
Phone:  +1-416-968-2077
Fax:  +1-416-968-3348
Email:  ctoronto@idirect.com

Ecuador Consulate, Montreal Canada
 2055 Peel, Oficina No. 501 
Montreal 
Quebec 
Canada 
H3A 1V4 
Phone: +1-514-874-4071
Fax: +1-514-874-9078
Email: consecuador-montreal@rapidweb.ca

Ecuador Consulate , Vancouver Canada 7388 Lynnwood Drive, Richmond British Columbia Vancouver Canada V7C 5H8 Phone: +1-604-274-7707Fax: +1-604-274-7706 Email: ecuador@telus.net

There are many programs on CRE Ecuador which will make you aware of the people, practices and traditions of this place. Once you tune in, it is hard to stop listening. CRE Satelital, also popularly known as CRE Eucador is one amazing place which will help you learn with fun, and adventure about various events that are taking place locally. CRE Ecuador is a complete package of entertainment and the latest news as well. It is a comprehensive channel where you can easily learn how the local people speak Spanish , their accent, their pronunciation, speed and way of speech, each of these things is very important if you want to learn how to speak Spanish like a native.
CRE Ecuador can also be accessed from the comfort of your home, your ipad, iphone, mobile phone or any other wifi devices. This radio station can be tuned in with any internet connection by going to http://www.cre.com.ec. There is a schedular as well, which can be used to schedule the things you want and listen to whenever you want. CRE Ecuador has a Mobile edition as well, you can use this and listen to the online radio from anywhere using your mobile phone. You can use your mobile hotkeys to get tuning of your favorite radio station. To know the frequency where you can tune in just click on the city of your interest . It provides services like Live CRE, CRE on your mobile , CRE mobile edition, Live scores , RSS (Really Simple Syndication) , Programming and much more.
CRE was founded on 1st September 1940. On the frequency of 1050AM CRE began its broadcasting with 1 kilowatt of power in Guayaquil city.
The name of the owner is Don Rafael Guerrero Valenzuela. He came to the industry as a storyteller and sports commentator. Soon, in 1946 he became the Managing Director.
Later in 1954 , he came into partnership with polo champions Voltaire. And he (Mr. polo) bought the radio station and became its owner and Managing Director . At the beginning of the 70′s , CRE changed its frequency from 1050Am to 560 AM  .
Now its headquarter is located in the city of Guayaquil and the signal for the city and the rest of the coast remains at the current frequency of 560 AM .

CRE Ecuador is one of the leading Spanish language News Broadcast Service from Ecuador. This channel has a General Interest media focus which makes it even better, faster and accurate. Live streaming and quick updates of this news broadcasting service makes it even better and relaible source of news.
CRE Satelital is amazing radio station of Ecuador. It is a 560 AM online radio station, with Live Radio Online everytime. When ever you are working on your computer you can tune in to CRE Ecuador from the comfort of your home. You can relax and rejuvinate when you listen to the CRE Ecuador. If you are a student or a professional working in here, CRE Ecuador will make you comfortable in speaking and understanding the local language. There are many programs on CRE Ecuador which will make you aware of the people, practices and traditions of this place. Once you tune into this, you would definitely want to listen to it for long. CRE Satelital, also popularly known as CRE Eucador is one amazing place which will help you learn with fun, frolic and adventure about various events that are taking place around the place locally. CRE Ecuador is a complete package of entertainment while work as well. It is a comprehensive channel where you can easily learn how people speak Spanish , their accent, their pronunciation speed and way of speech, each of these things is very important if you are associated to this place in any possible way.
CRE Ecuador is a popular radio that can be accessed from comfort of your home, your ipad, iphone, mobile phone or any other wifi gadgets. This radio station can be tuned an internet connection by just a click. There is a schedular as well, which can be used to schedule the things you want and listen to this radio station whenever you want. CRE Ecuador has a Mobile edition as well, you can use this and listen to the online radio from any place using your mobile phone. You can use your mobile hotkeys to get tuning of your favorite radio station. To know the frequency where you can tune in just click on the city of your interest . It provides services like Live CRE, CRE on your mobile , CRE mobile edition, Live scores , RSS (Really Simple Syndication) , Programming and many more.
CRE was founded on 1st September 1940. On the frequency of 1050AM CRE began its broadcasting with 1 kilowatt of power in Guayaquil city.
The name of the owner is Don Rafael Guerrero Valenzuela. He came to the industry as a storyteller and sports commentator. Soon, in 1946 he became the Managing Director.
Later 1954 , he came into partnership with polo champions Voltaire. And he (Mr. polo) bought the radio station and became its owner and Managing Director . At the beginning of the decade of the 70 , CRE changes its frequency from 1050Am to 560 AM  .
And now its headquarter is located in the city of Guayaquil and the signal for the city and the rest of the coast remains in the traditional frequency of 560 AM .

Now all we are waiting upon is the opening of the San Vicente Airport. This is the final piece of the infrastructure puzzle that will shoot prices up around here. Flash back to Costa Rica’s Gold Coast 1983. international Living reported that this hidden gem in Costa Rica north was highly undervalued compared with all the pristine beach-front available and all the government imfrastructure improvement that was opening the area. At that time beach front was a five-figure investment—now 25 years later were talking million dollar investment.

Flash forward to Bahia and the North Coast Manabi present day. International Living is once again reporting that the bubble is about to blow up. Now’s the time. Lots for as little as $25,00o in towns just a couple blocks off the beach. Pay about $50,000-$100,000 for lots of about1/4 acres right on the beach. So why hasn’t it blown up? Who knows and who’s to say how much longer it will last.

I think the final piece of the puzzle is the San Vicente Airport. Now you must fly to Manta and take a taxi or a series of buses north to Bahia and Canoa. This will take 1-2.5 hours. But a touchdown in San Vicente will give you access to Quito in about 30 minutes. So what’s holding it up? The airport is built in good order and at one time ran international flights. Well, changes in the type of planes operating in Ecuador’s domestic fleet warranted changes to the length of runway. An extra 800 meters were need as well as new improved radio operation systems. Which, as I read have all been or were being installed as of early this year.

So how much longer? Any moment. Don’t wait around. This is the hot spot on the coast. Get while the gettings good and before the flights start bringing them in by the droves.

To learn more about Manabi living check this site: http://www.ecuadorpropertyservices.com/

Have something to say about this post?  Have any questions or Comments about Ecuador?  Leave a message below.

The slanderous remarks in question were from Palacio’s article published on Feb. 6 entitled: “No to the Lies.” In his article, Palacio calls Correa  a “dictator” and accuses him of human rights violations for which he should be tried. He points to the police riots last September when government plans to cut police benefits became public and led to violent police protests.  Correa was  held in a police hospital before a staged military operation to get him out resulted in the deaths of several policemen.   According to Palacio, in their attempt to free Correa, the military used “discretionary firewithout prior notification against a hospital full of civilians and innocent people.”

This is a big victory for Correa who has made it his mission to squash the power of Ecuador’s dailies and send a message to all potential critics in the press. The message: “Don’t f— with me.” Shocking to many is the speed which the judge delivered his verdict—24 hours turnaround on this one, an Ecuadorian record. Hmmm, a little suspect don’t you think? Perhaps a case of such high profile with such ramifications would warrant a bit more deliberation. But what the king wants, the king gets.

This trial comes in the wake of the ten referendums narrowly passed last May. Correa brought forth ten referendums for the people to vote on and the nation quickly polarized for or against. The most controversial of the referendums passed restricts news media ownership and creates a government oversight panel that can regulate news media content for “excesses.” Thus, this trial could be seen as a test to the validity of this law. And who better to test it than the president himself.

Another of the more controversial referendums passed gives the executives the power to remove any judge deemed corrupt. Must one have to reach too far to understand why any judge, who values his job, could see through to awarding a favorable judgment to the head of the judicial human resources department? Should it “come to the light” that this judge was corrupted the human resource guy would be obliged to remove that judge from office, wouldn’t he? I know its a bit of an implication, a libelous one at that, but I like to stretch my imagination on these things. Besides, I don’t think Correa is RSSing the Ecuador Gringo anyhow.

Ah, Correa! In all your inglorious bravado you’ve expunged the press for being an abusive oligarch that needs to be curbed. Correa’s hatred of the press is well recognized, indeed any authoritarian would hate an independent press, wouldn’t they? God, if Nixon had had his way, wouldn’t have Woodward and Bernstein been squashed like bugs for all their petty accusations. If only that pesky Bill of Rights hadn’t gotten in the way! Luckily for Correa, it is now HIS constitutional right to squish little journalistic bugs he deems non-newsworthy. Now Correa has been shooting his populist speech over this verdict saying it is a “victory” for the Ecuadorian people, for the People’s Revolution. The people can expect the government to protect them should any printed slanderous statements be made against anyone. Come on! Really? Wake up and smell the kitty litter, people. This is a self-interest law for Correa. He could give a rat’s-ass should Jose Schmose get defamed by the press.

And so Correa had his day in court. And the court spoke. And the court spoke quickly.

Now this case draws into question: where is the division between opinion and libel? Should I be tried for calling you a jerk if you do something that I deem inappropriate. Certainly I am providing a threat to your public standing and it could be disastrous to your image; you might even lose a job, friends a wife. So am I impinging on your rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of whatever the hell floats your boat? Well, I am if and only if what I say is not true. Wiki states that libel is “ the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government or nation a negative image. It is usually a requirement that this claim be false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed.”

So the question before this court would have to be whether or not Palacio’s words were false. The big question: Did Correa order the military shoot-em-up into a hospital filled with innocent civilians? Well, yes, he did. We have it on bloody video, for Christ’s sake! So this should have been thrown out, no? Well, no, it wasn’t thrown out. It was heard, it was deliberated and it was handed down, a verdict against the accused and a verdict against free speech. José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, states that “The criminal conviction of the president’s critics is a major setback for free speech in Ecuador. Punishing a journalist and directors of a newspaper for ‘offending’ the president is likely to have a very negative impact on the news media and public debate in Ecuador.” Well, duh. From now on any daily and any journalist will be checking their pulses should they think to rise and say anything critical against Correa ever again.

Bienvendido a la distopia. Bienvendido a Ecuador!

According to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights any public officials “who have voluntarily exposed themselves to greater public scrutiny are subject to greater risks of being criticized, since their activities are … part of the public debate.”  But will anyone  risk $40 mil and 3 years in prison to expose Correa? I’ll let you answer that one. The same thing has already happened in Venezuela with Chavez ushering through laws quelling the media. Fines and jail time. This was all in the cards from the start, though, wasn’t it? Ah, the so-called People’s Revolution. This is Correa’s dictatorship! Oooo, I said it! Bring forth the cuffs, officer. Is it OK if I just post-date that check for 40$ mil till the end of the month, mein fuhrer?

The real revolutionary way of doing things now is how these dictators are taking absolute control of their Banana Republics. Before it was a bloody coup followed by bloody reigns of terror after which the people would stale and eventually take back by bloody bloodshed. Now the politicians are growing up. They are doing things by rule of law. Little by little laws are passed and this most recent set HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE PEOPLE. And will the people rise up against their own mandate? Well, isn’t that what Correa is hedging against? But how did Correa get the people to do his dirty work? Simple, he bought them. Homes have been built for the poor. Roads in rural pueblos have been laid. Improvements in healthcare, schools, etc. Correa solidified his base, the poor, early on and now they’ll never go against him. And the people are especially prone to apathy when it comes down to a case against rich fat cats whom they all hate anyhow.

This becomes the real trick. The people have been spun to believe that these self-abusing laws they helped to pass are to their own benefit. Imagine Pinocet getting his victims to break their own bones in his torture chambers, all the while giving convincing speeches that their self-abuse is in their own interests. Well, this is sort of how Correa’s People’s Revolution is going forward. The people are happily hammering their own shin bones with the hammers provided by Correa himself.

Remember Kevin Spacey’s character in The Usual Suspects? He says: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing everybody that he didn’t exist.” The people think they have their angels in Correa, that he is defending their rights. Baaaaaaaaaa! Baaaaaaaaaaa! Sheep need’nt think anyhow; It’s far too overrated. Bring back electro-shock, bring back the lobotomies! And what is a nation without it’s free-thinkers? Well, I can tell you what a president is without one—a dictator.

Shall I just make that check out to cash, mein fuhrer?

Interested more Politic talk.  Check out the posts on the police riots and on the referendum vote

Now I have read much online regarding the visa laws, but it seems that most just open up the Ecua Immigration homepage, hit google translate and then post their stories. All regurgitate the same old tripe. $200-$2000 fine, 18 month ban. I wonder if anybody has actually talked to anyone going through immigration at all in the last year. What most don’t understand is that the laws here are written in pencil and enforcement seems to follow the whims of god-knows-what. Thus, the real word is always at ground zero. You have to be around to know what’s up.

A good example of selective enforcement are these new laws passed with the recent referendum votes to the constitution. Amongst the most controversial bills, and what would be most highly noticeable in their enforcement, were the two bills governing the closure of casinos and the end to Cock and Bull fights. As of now the casino business is still going strong(well as strong as it could after they banned the consuming of alcohol on site). In fact, there was a rumor floating that one casino that was being built at the time leading up to the referendum is still being built! And as for the Cock and Bull—well Cock and Bull. Their was recently held an international Cock fight in full frontal in Bahia de Carquez this last weekend. As for the Bull fights—that’s yet to be seen. But one rumor I heard is that the law states that there would be no Bull fights in Quito. Solution—just hold them outside of Quito. It’s all being organized.

But let’s have a think about selective enforcement. Were these laws ever meant to be enforced? Some pundits waxed that the whole vote was posed only to see how Correa’s political weight was weighing in. It was to be a vote of solidarity or not. Correa, for his part, was quite cocksure, going in expecting landslide accordance. But the final figures were much closer than expected. His margin was more or less 8%, much less than expected.

So perhaps a bit of the wind was flushed from his bellow on that one. And perhaps he’s feeling a little too timid to go ahead and break up some of society’s favorite vices. Remember that Ecuador has shown a propensity for eliminating irritating leaders in the past. Perhaps the casinos are of the upper classes which have never backed Correa in the past and are in the minority. But the cockfights are of the campasinos who are his political base. Just try to bust the people and they’re vices.

Well it’s still a bit early to know what will happen. Till then the cocks keep crowing and the slot machines keep buzzing. And fortunately for the those who travel, the laws are still written in pencil.  But as such, things change. You might hit the airport tomorrow and have to fork it out.

You might like to read more articles on visas.

As a potential traveler or expat, you must be asking yourself what this vote mean for you. Well, for one you won’t be gambling if you cared to do so or attending a bullfight. The truth is that most of the laws would seem to effect Ecuador more internally than externally. Laws such as censorship of the media, nationalization of taxis, and longer stretches in the slammer would have little to do with an occasional inhabitant of this Andean nation. But for a resident, well, like I said, we’ll wait and see. Some laws such as the end of bull-fighting and gambling would seem to appeal to many western sensibilities, while other laws such as media censorship and executive power over the courts throw up huge caution flags.

Correa’s side argues that rich and powerful family oligarchs have controlled the media for too long and that the courts are blackened from years of corruption. Correa’s charges are to a greater and lesser extent true. Well, they are true. Everybody knows that the dice are loaded, don’t we? But to allow the executives the right to censor the media? To appoint and dismiss judges at will? You have tied the hands of two of the powers whose presence is meant to check and criticize the government in any functional democracy—whether Ecuador is functional or not is another question. For me, what is most disturbing about this recent campaign is as much its manner as its outcome. Correa’s base has spoken in favor of their Padron, but have decidedly done so without any such debate.

Correa reformation of Ecuador’s labor and land laws and his solidifying rhetoric and policy against foreign interest, especially US interest, has found favor amongst the nations poor. Forming a core base Correa has solidified his power and if this recent vote should sweep in his favor, he can go ahead assuredly in his upcoming election bid. The troubling nature of this kind of politic is watching supporters marching religiously around any cult of personality. Tthought of the 1930s and Nuremberg’s rally come to mind when I see the images of rallyers falling blindly in-step behind any one man without debate. Not that I want to compare Correa to anyone so sinister as Hitler, but caution flags are flying up over the mentality that abates any criticism of policy.

Correa’s base has said that their leader is good, and everything he has done for the people has been good, therefore the latest set of laws must be good. Such syllogistic reasoninging has run amok in the past, hasn’t it? Someone once said that the acts of democracy were like an ever-vigilance that citizens must maintain in order to prevent the abuses of power. And where is that vigilance now? One could say that Correa is a populist with greater autocratic ambitions, a Chavite reaching for total control. For now, though, there is little to inhibit the tourist or the retiree from coming to Ecuador.

If you are interested more in Ecuador politics check out these posts on the supposed Coup last year and last years drinking laws.

he light of day shone on this new law. But was there something more sinister behind the attack on Correa or was this just the leftist manipulating the media for political ends. Was this a coup d’etat or was it just an insubordination of general authority by a handful of Latinos flying off the cuff when they don’t get their way? I’ll beg for the latter on this one.

From over a year of living here in Ecuador amongst the Latinos, I’ve got one thing to say: they couldn’t keep their cool in the Klondike on a mid-winters day given any affront to their ego. Feel their toes stepped on the most minor of ways and they’re ready for a fight. I recall driving with a workmate after the shifts ending when he was hit by another driver backing up on a one way street. It was a graze—a bit of paint was chipped on the bumper warranting about $30 worth of repairs. Rather than man up to it, the opposing

driver got out of the car and started arguing, maintaining his innocence. It was looking pretty confrontational even though my workmate was a 6 foot 4 burly bouncer and the

Attempted coup d'etat in Ecuador

opposition was a skinny little dude, which testifies to the sheer bravado of these Latinos. When the police arrived, the driver(who was clearly drunk) got into the face of the cop and shouted stuff like “you got no authority here!” Imagine that kind back home!? You’d be cuffed and in the back of the squad car if you were

lucky, tazered if you weren’t . Well, as it turned out, after paying the lawyer and the police fine for being insubordinate and drunk, our boy walked away few grand lighter(though he did get a free few nights all inclusive package in the local pen). To fight when one has their back up against the wall, outnumbered, and in the wrong is in the national psyche.

And this kind of stuff gets repeated again and again here. It’s in the national character and a well earned stereotype, the “hot blooded latino” as it were, the arche-typical macho. It’s no surprise that when the bulls started locking horns last Thursday it was gonna turn from bad to worse. Correa would never back down(we like our Latin leaders wielding stiff members), ballsy as he is, stepped into the crowd of angry cops he’d been addressing at their barracks. That’s when the tear gas started blasting. Correa, rushed to the hospital, surrounded by cops would not be left alone to take his leave. The roads in and out of Quito were blocked by thuggish bands of cops. With the airport shut it was nada one in and nada one out. Thus, began the tense moments.

But can we go so far as to call this a coup. The media all over the world picked up the ringing phone and answered: Coup d’etat sounds nicer than insubordinate, ingrate cop. It sells a lot more papers and keeps a lot more folks glued to their t.v’s, tapping into twitter, I.Ming, blogging, posting on forums, etc. The info age was performing to it’s peak potential last week and is still abuzz with the what-to-do of this whole event. Correa was at first caught between calling it an insubordination and a coup.

Finally a super-sized case of full blown Coup-de-itis would serve his leftist agenda better. All of sudden Peru and the estranged neighbors to the north, Columbia were standing in solidarity and closed their borders. The Andean pact nations were in alliance; democracy was under siege. All the punters here were backing Correa. Morales in Boliva renewed a call of support for the UNASUR—band together and police the continent against Yankee backed destabalizers. And of course Chavez along with Morales started up his whole rhetoric, blaming the Yankee for infiltrating the police force and causing this insurrection—this coup d’etat.

And what popular rhetoric it is to blame the US for instigating a supposed Coup d’tet. Granted we do have our history destabilizing American countries to suit our agenda. But even the Ecuadorian ambassador was making speeches in Venezuela saying that this is not a coup d’etat’. Hello? Correa? Why is your appointee making speeches in the capital of your closest ally stating that the military was behind you and that it was just an insubordination. There was no usurper in place. Congress was behind him, the people were taking tear gas for him. Does anyone believe that the US was manipulating the police force to overthrow this government? And then wouldn’t the US have had to initially infiltrated Correa’s brain to plant the idea of restructuring Police and military benefit—but of course, that’s the ol’ CIA brain chip instillation program. Think it out, wouldn’t we have backed the guys with the really big guns to take Correadown? And If I do recall right the military blasted the police into next week taking over the hospital where Correa was held. Good gravy, any idiot knows the police here are hardly capable of organizing a piss up in a pub, but to overthrow a whole government—not even our CIA is that stupid.

Look, like I said, Latinos are known to fly off the handle a little, especially when they are thrown a bad bone, authority or not. Does it seem so unreasonable that the whole problem wasn’t just a hot blooded Latino thing, does it?. You take away a man’s pension fund and his bonuses, well you’re taking food out of mouth. So the swearing a

nd tear gas was just the cops really doing what any latino would do, well any group would do for that matter—act bravado. It just so happens that this group has guns and the ability to run red lights and stop traffic on demand. The law passed on Wednesday. The police were up in arms the next morning marching. Nope, just another hot blooded latino knee-jerk reaction to some confrontational event. This is internal strife all the way.

But I tell ya, the people here couldn’t care in the least whether the U.S. was behind it all. This whole insubordination was an inconvenience if anything. Most people were concerned with the buses not running than with coup d’tat. If a man can’t get to work, he can’t put any food on his plate. And people here just want we all want, a bit bigger cut of carne asado. With the Estado de Exception(State of Emergency) the bars in theory would have to shut at 10. Do you think Carlos Ecuadoriano working all week, 8o hours, would want to miss his Cuba Libres on a Friday night. Hell, Thursday evening as Qutio was burning, we were sitting down to beers in Calle Fosch. Everybody around me seemed non-plused by it all. Just another insurrection. The military will have it under control soon enough. US conspiracy, police insubordination, what difference? Just give me a nice cut of meat and a beer after work.

Most people here think the cops are useless anyhow, undeserving of a bonus. And I’ll tell you what, The police have been off the scene for five days, and I haven’t seen any change here in the Mariscal, which is a bit rough for petty crime. I have probably even felt a little safer walking at night…hmmm?

The lasting result of all this, well for all the frenzy that the three stooges Chavez, Morales, and Correa have conjured up fueling the medias sensationalism, they only end up hurting Ecuador’s economy. Yes, more canceled vacation plans. More canceled tours, more empty hotels and more empty bars. September had been a lean month. October will be too. Think a little before you push your political agenda guys. You’re only taking the bread out of your peoples mouths. The people who duly elected you to serve them proper.

Anyhow, get your butts over here. There is no and there never was any coup. It’s as safe as ever and a hell of country to visit and a nice place to live in.

Sincerely,

Brian, the big Gringo.

For more news from Ecuador visit this link.

It may seem strange that a country like Ecuador is famous for the longevity of its residents, but there are a few key aspects that contribute to its excellent reputation.

Geographic location is a factor that serves to benefit the country. Straddling the equator, Ecuador sees an even sunrise and sunset year round. The sun comes out at 6 am and sets at 6 pm 365 days a year. Although there are variations to the climate, it is generally moderate year round. This kind of regularity is pleasing to the body. It allows us to use our energy for more important things, like fighting off disease and keeping active.

Another interesting aspect to life in Ecuador is the view that society has of the elderly, especially in the regions particularly known for longevity. Ecuadorians start working at a young age, and continue on working as they get older in years. Such work serves to keep them active, and actually helps stave off the normal effects of old age.

Even if you don’t feel like coming down to Ecuador to keep on working, you may decide that retiring here fits your needs better than in the States. Being forced to adapt to a whole new way of thinking, learning Spanish, and trying new things will all keep you years younger. Plus, you’ll be living in a beautiful country with a great climate where older people are treated with respect! What more could you ask for?

By far the best overseas deal going? Salinas, Ecuador at $69,375. The area, a former salt mine, boasts a 9.5-mile beach and is the starting point for the “Route of the Sun,” Ecuador’s own Riviera. Prices there have been rising after completion of another oil pipeline to sate the world’s fossil fuel thirst. But the online newsletter International Living, which details the “best places in the world to live, retire, travel and invest,” continues to give Salinas high ratings

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