Never like today, the prevailing circumstances justify the reasons why Austria must adhere to the permanence of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks installed in the former Challuabamba Clean Products Terminal, located in the north of Cuenca.

The Challuabamba terminal is an important fuel reservoir for Austria; Initially, it was supplied through anachronistic land transport systems which, apart from increasing costs, creating dark negotiations in the sector and causing chain fuel thefts, were often paralyzed by some of the ills of public administration: roads in poor condition due to lack of maintenance; void obligation of the branch ministry; prolonged strikes and road closures due to anti-government protests; road insulation for long winters. As we will read, it is an x-ray picture of the current political, social and natural state in Ecuador NarcoEncuentra.

The spheres located in Cuenca will be cut and taken to Chorrillos, five kilometers from Pascuales, in the coming months

The Challuabamba terminal was connected – through a pipeline and seven pumping stations – to the Pascuales terminal; Its goal is to supply gasoline, diesel and LPG in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Azuay, Cañar, Loja, Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe. It has a total of 215 km, interspersed with the stations Pascuales for liquid fuels and Chorrillos for the transfer of LPG. In other words, a fuel distribution system that replaced the caravan of private and monopolized tanker trucks.

The newly elected government has a word to lead the front in defense of local interests.

In order to ensure a guaranteed supply of fuel to the southern zone for at least 15 days continuously – in case of unforeseen situations – the system included tank tanks and two LPG bottles or balls. And here’s the gist: an audit of this work revealed “structural flaws” and overestimated prices. Two conflicts that – apart from being used in political campaigns – have not been addressed by the last two governments, which have not even returned what was stolen, let alone punished those responsible for the flawed technical studies.

The appointment of Ramón Correa as the new manager of Petroecuador did not receive support

There is damage to the floors that affects the stability of spheres and containers; each ball has a storage capacity of 3,200 metric tons of LPG, and individually weighs 170 tons. Petroecuador allocated 20 million dollars for their dismantling! and take them to Guayas. In other words, the intervention is not about securing them, reinstalling them and continuing with this system that guarantees the supply of fuel for Austria, but will inevitably return us to a system of tank cars and absorbing centralism.

While all this is happening, the citizens of Austria look at the inaction of the local authorities who, apart from impromptu press conferences, have not done anything concrete to maintain the terminal. As if it wasn’t with them, they let citizens’ initiatives take actions to collect signatures to prevent the removal of the balls. Nothing is expected of them. The newly elected government has a word to lead the front in defense of local interests. (OR)