General Info

[Truckman]

What is the current cost of a Claro sim card? Also the cost per minute for said sim card.

[Sabalo]

I have been to almost every country in Central and South America but never to Ecuador. I'm looking for a local, guy or girl who wants to make a few bucks and help me out. Here's the situation, I want to go on a vacacation to Ecuador (and bring a Cuban chica along. As most are aware Cubans are not free to travel the world but are permitted to travel to Ecuador as long as a citizen of Ecuador prepares an invitation letter. I don't believe there is any risk on the Ecuadorians part if that person runs into problems. It's nothing like the laws that govern Cubans in the United States. My understanding of searching the Internet and talking with other People who have gone that it's quite a simple process. Obviously many Cubans are using this friendly government arrangement to import clothes and make a buck, try to fake a marriage and gain citizenship, but many cubans that have a few bucks just want to get out of Cuba for a few weeks. If anyone can help with advice or provide me with a solid contact please send me a private message.

[Member #4366]

It's worse than expected: The census is in full swing and I have never seen Quito that empty. Nobody is on the road, except police patrols.

In addition the so called "ley seca" is enforced. Between Friday and Monday morning no alcohol consumption is allowed and police is behind this too. This has the unpleasant side effect, that all chongos are closed. As I didn't know I took a taxi to cafe rojo last night which was closed too. The cab driver asked by radio but the response was: No hay nada.

Thus I'm afraid tonight (Sunday) woun't be better.

Being in Quito right now, I can confirm Woody's report. Yesterday (Saturday) I tried several chongos but they were all closed. Today, there is a curfew until 5 p.m. but the chongos will not open again before Monday afternoon. Bummer!

[Woody53]

I was there for the census in 2001. I don't think there's any way around it. Absolutely nothing is open anyway.

You could just claim to be an ignorant foreigner that doesn't speak Spanish and see what happens. I wanted to try that but the family I was staying with advised against it.

It's worse than expected: The census is in full swing and I have never seen Quito that empty. Nobody is on the road, except police patrols.

In addition the so called "ley seca" is enforced. Between Friday and Monday morning no alcohol consumption is allowed and police is behind this too. This has the unpleasant side effect, that all chongos are closed. As I didn't know I took a taxi to cafe rojo last night which was closed too. The cab driver asked by radio but the response was: No hay nada.

Thus I'm afraid tonight (Sunday) woun't be better.

[Dirty Willy]

During the census next Sunday people are forced to stay indoors between 7 AM and 5 PM. Does anybody know how to avoid this? E.g. how to get a salvoconducto? I’ll be in Quito next weekend and I have better things to do. Any input is appreciated!

I was there for the census in 2001. I don't think there's any way around it. Absolutely nothing is open anyway.

You could just claim to be an ignorant foreigner that doesn't speak Spanish and see what happens. I wanted to try that but the family I was staying with advised against it.

[Abril]

Ha! Don't think that's happening.

During the census next Sunday people are forced to stay indoors between 7 AM and 5 PM. Does anybody know how to avoid this? E.g. how to get a salvoconducto? I’ll be in Quito next weekend and I have better things to do. Any input is appreciated!

[Woody53]

During the census next Sunday people are forced to stay indoors between 7 AM and 5 PM. Does anybody know how to avoid this? E.g. how to get a salvoconducto? I’ll be in Quito next weekend and I have better things to do. Any input is appreciated!

[Member #3435]

It`s pretty clear the CIA are destabilising Ecuador. Strength to President Correa and his people!

Brilliant!

[Member #4698]

It`s pretty clear the CIA are destabilising Ecuador. Strength to President Correa and his people!

I am shocked to read this! Are you saying that President Obama, savior of all humanity and noble peace prize winner would order such an imperialist action against the democratic socialist people’s government of Ecuador and specifically against President Correa himself?

To quote President Correa: “Socialism will continue. The Ecuadorian people voted for that. We are going to emphasize this fight for social justice, for regional justice. We are going to continue the fight to eliminate all forms of workplace exploitation within our socialist conviction: the supremacy of human work over capital. Nobody is in any doubt that our preferential option is for the poorest people, we are here because of them. Hasta la victoria siempre!”

Maybe the people of Ecuador are just getting tired of all the bull. Where is the progress? Social or economic.

[AfAsia]

It`s pretty clear the CIA are destabilising Ecuador. Strength to President Correa and his people!

[Member #3435]

Calling your own policemen a bunch of ungrateful bandits?! lol.

Ecuador’s government declared a state of emergency on Thursday after protests by hundreds of police officers.......

Tung:

Yeah Correa is a piece of work. Educated at Univ of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana where he says he spent some of the best years of his life yet never passes on an opportunity to gratuitously bash the U.S. He's one to talk.

I followed this story yesterday on 4 different Latin TV channels that are part of my satellite service including the long shootout last night that succeeded in rescuing Correa from the police hospital. Wow. Talk about reality TV. Among other things it was highly entertaining, riveting.

Even today, there are several unclear details that raise some suspicion IMO. Most important among them: How and by exactly who was Correa being detained inside the hospital? I'm not doubting he was. The amount of gunfire last night was convincing enough but it's still not explained this morning even though the same channels have continued wall to wall coveraged. The police deny he was being held and that he and his bodyguards were unmolested inside the hospital.

Another detail not clarified today is how the situation at Quito airport was resolved. Early news reports said it was seized by rebelling air force personnel, not police.

Unrest, looting and travel disruption erupted throughout the country.

Aussie Greg if you're still in Ecuador and you read this: Did you run into any problems?

Schwmm

[Tungurahua]

Calling your own policemen a bunch of ungrateful bandits?! lol.

Ecuador’s government declared a state of emergency on Thursday after protests by hundreds of police officers and members of the military produced a tense standoff between President Rafael Correa and rebellious elements of the security forces.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/wo...ador.html?_r=1

The Irish Times - Friday, October 1, 2010
by RORY CARROLL

POLICE AND military units stormed the airport in Ecuador’s capital and burned tyres in front of their bases yesterday in a chaotic rebellion over austerity measures that cut their benefits.

Scores of uniformed men overran the landing strip at Quito’s main airport, forcing flights to be cancelled, and others confronted the president, Rafael Correa, in a dramatic showdown at a police regimental barracks.

Mr Correa challenged the protesters to kill him, according to local media.

“I’m not taking one step back. Gentleman, if you want to kill the president, here he is, kill him if you have the guts.”

The rebel officers responded with shouts, stones and teargas canisters, prompting Mr Correa’s bodyguards to spirit him from the scene.

The protests rapidly spread to bases and barracks in three provinces, with witnesses reporting looting, compounding a political crisis that could prompt the president to dissolve parliament and rule by decree until elections.

There was no indication that Mr Correa faced assassination, nor that the government would fall. The head of the armed forces, Ernesto Gonzalez, said troops remained loyal to Mr Correa.

“We are in a state of law. We are loyal to the maximum authority, which is the president.” The foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, played down the severity of the protests. “This is not a popular mobilisation, it is not a popular uprising, it is an uprising by the police, who are ill-informed,” he told TV network Telesur. The central bank chief, Diego Borja, called for calm.

Ecuador has a tradition of protests but to see about 150 mutinous members of the air force swarm through Quito’s Mariscal Sucre international airport was a first. The action was followed by hundreds of soldiers and police in Quito and the commercial capital, Guayaquil, who blocked roads, lit tyres and fired teargas. “Respect our rights!” some shouted.

There were no immediate reports of casualties and the president showed no sign of backing down. “They are a bunch of ungrateful bandits. No one has supported the police as much as this government,” he said.

The protests were triggered by a law passed by congress on Wednesday that would end the practice of giving medals and bonuses with each promotion. It would also extend from five to seven years the usual period required for promotions. The law needs to be published before it takes effect.

Mr Correa is a US-trained economist who has tried to slim Ecuador’s bureaucracy. His own party, the Country Alliance, opposed the austerity measures, prompting his threat to dissolve congress.

The constitution allows the president to declare a political impasse and dissolve the assembly until a presidential and parliamentary election. The measure needs constitutional court approval.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...280081450.html

Incensed officers shoved Correa around earlier in the day, pelted him with water and doused him in tear gas when he tried to speak to rebellious officers. The 47-year-old leader was taken to the hospital after being nearly asphyxiated by the gas.

Hours after Correa was roughed up, and surrounded by dozens of insurgent cops outside the hospital, the president declared himself "practically captive."

Some 800 police officers in Quito joined the protest, which appeared to have arisen spontaneously. The number of participants outside the capital was unclear. Ecuador has 40,000 police officers.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...ocId=D9IIKD600

Mr Correa has antagonised many powerful groups during his presidency, but the police have fared fairly well. In a bid to reduce corruption, he increased their salaries from $700 a month to $1,200.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/ameri...triking_police

[Aussie Greg]

Just flown from Medellin to Quit "LAN" drove to Coca (on Rio Napo 6 hours from Quito) and travelled down the river on a fast boat (Paisa girlfriend and I)from Coca to Nuevo Rocafuerte, Parque Yasuni, swam with the fresh water dolphins, then two more nights camping on the river until Mazan (15 minutes crossing by motorbike from the Rio Napo to the Rio Amazona, then 40 minutes in a fast boat to Iquitos, Peru.
Heading onto Leticia tomorow, then back to Bogota.

If any body would like more info, just ask.

I heading again to do this trip later in the year, anybody intertested, let me know.

Aussie Greg.

[Erik2003]

This year I am for the second time in apartments Mariscal (Paez y Robles) and for the second time they robbed me: when I was n´t at home an other guest had stolen my key and took my camera and money. Although I was sure which person had robbed me (confrimed by the owner of the apartments) the police refused to take action.

If you have plans to take apartment here: be very careful and look for other options.

[Saeta119]

I am thinking of visiting for the first time. Can anybody give me a summary of the cost? I like bringing the girls back to my hotel for a few hours at a time. Which is a better hunting ground, clubs/bars, escorts, or massage parlors, and which is the city I should visit with the most potential for a newbie?

Quito and go to Cafe Rojo, that's all you need.