The smell of cat feces and urine makes work uncomfortable at the North Florida Judicial Complex

A prosecutor raised her voice in protest after being on duty over the weekend and having to go to the North Florida Judicial Complex.

Michell Luna normally works at the Valdivia Prosecutor’s Office, in the south of Guayaquil, but his turn was in the north of the city and the photos he took and the poster he published to indicate that he will not remain in the city went viral on social networks. that office and that “he accepts the right to resistance until there is a dignified environment that respects labor rights.”

The prosecutor had to complete the shift from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and said that when she arrived on Saturday, December 10, at the block for Violence against Women or Members of the Family Nucleus, she found a space that, according to her, does not meet the conditions minimum to work.

Deterioration and leaks in the North Florida Judicial Complex

Luna pointed out in her complaint that there is a stench in the place due to the excrement and urine of the dozens of cats that have been abandoned on the site, which was confirmed this Monday by a team from this newspaper that toured the judicial complex.

The officials admitted that the animals even do their biological needs inside the buildings and even on the office furniture.

In addition to the stench and dirt that was found, the woman complained about the lack of drinking water, which means that the bathrooms in that block cannot be accessed.

Another prosecutor who also works in that complex indicated that many of those who work there from Monday to Friday prefer not to drink water to avoid having to go to the bathroom.

He assured that on two occasions this year they have collected money from their own pocket to send the water pumps to be fixed, but these have worked for a few weeks and then they have broken down again.

This Monday there was no water in the bathrooms located on the ground floor of the Violence Against Women building. The air conditioning system was also not working, so the smell was unpleasant.

“It is even worse when we are on duty on weekends until midnight because only this building and the Penitentiary building work, which is about 200 meters away. Imagine that the compañeras have to walk there in the dark if they need a bathroom,” said the official.

“Since 2019 there is a protocol for judicial officials to request security, but they do not use it,” says the Judiciary

Given these conditions, prosecutor Michell Luna decided not to go to the office on Sunday and put up a poster that later went viral on social networks.

In the document, which had already been withdrawn this Monday, it indicated that it was available and pending any call or email that he receives, but that he availed himself of article 98 of the Constitution (Right to resist actions or omissions of the public power) so as not to go to the offices due to the conditions in which they are.

Given the complaint, this newspaper contacted María Josefa Coronel, the director of the Guayas Judiciary, to find out what is happening in the judicial complex.

She explained that unfortunately, in addition to the officials who complain about the presence of cats and the bad smell, there are also others who feed them and even take them to eat at their desks. Coronel even showed some photographs.

“There are two or three ladies from that block, we have spoken with them a few times. We have explained to them in the best way that it is one thing to love the animals and take care of them and another thing is to expose the building and their companions to this”, said Coronel.

She also pointed out that they have started disciplinary processes for a couple of weeks because they do not want to understand it. She assured that there are more than 10 officials who carry lunch boxes to feed the animals.

Outside the buildings there are dozens of trays with food and also improvised sandboxes with excrement.

While this informative note was being reviewed, the journalistic team found a person who fed the cats. He only replied that “the judicial decisions that are made here are dirtier; that should lead to disciplinary processes, not be compassionate with animals ”.

Some judicial associations are coordinating adoption campaigns, since it is estimated that there are some 70 cats and even a dog that live in the judicial premises.

Regarding the cleaning of the blocks, María Josefa Coronel said that from this Tuesday the 13th the cleaning provider would already work.

The official pointed out that there was a delay in financial resources to this province, for which they had to delay the hiring and the courts have put out of pocket on several occasions for the cleaning to be done.

“On Friday the contract was signed and on Tuesday they would be there cleaning,” said the director of the Judiciary.

Regarding the lack of water, Coronel said that in recent months they have acquired pumps to solve the lack of liquid in the blocks. He also indicated that this Monday morning they were working to restore the service, as there would be damage to the electrical system that feeds the pumps.

He argued that to update the judicial complex, about 3 or 4 million dollars are needed and those resources have not yet arrived.

Regarding the absence of prosecutor Luna and her protest, the principal of the Judiciary in Guayas responded that the official has the right to show her discomfort and that each disciplinary department of the Prosecutor’s Office will see what they will do when reviewing each case. “That is not my responsibility,” she clarified.

right to resistance

Art. 98.- Individuals and groups may exercise the right to resist actions or omissions of public power or non-state natural or legal persons that violate or may violate their constitutional rights, and demand the recognition of new rights . (YO)