Municipalities maintain different measures on meetings and burning of puppets for the end of the year

For this December 31, 2021, the country’s municipalities have decided to accept certain recommendations from the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) in order to avoid crowds and counteract the spread of COVID-19 in Ecuador; however, not all measures will be applied or monitored equally.

The most recent decision of the national COE, adopted on December 21, prohibits the exhibition and burning of the old years in public places, but allows the burning of puppets as long as it is done with the family circle and no crowds are generated.

In the case of Guayaquil, the Municipality does not agree to prohibit the sale of traditional puppets or their burning, although it recommends citizens to keep their distance and remember not to do so on sidewalks, asphalt streets or regenerated areas.

In Quito, the Municipality modifies the Old Years Festival on Amazonas Avenue. There will no longer be a concentration in that sector, but rather a journey of puppets on a mobile platform. The route has already been announced by the capital city council.

Exhibition in Cuenca

Outside the municipal stadium of Cuenca, a part of the avenue will be pedestrianized so that people can walk and enjoy an exhibition of puppets. The event is authorized, but with the warning to respect the requested capacity, otherwise it will be closed.

The event is called I Circuit of Old Years and will take place on December 31 on the avenue of the stadium, between Florencia Astudillo and Solano.

Enrique Bermeo, director of EBS Gestores Culturales, explained that it is not a contest, but an exhibition that aims to maintain traditions and say goodbye to 2021 with joy.

Bermeo explained that he obtained the permit on December 9, so the event is included in the new COE regulations. In its planning it consists that people will enter in limited groups on one side and leave on the other, this so that they do not cross each other. The exhibition will be between 10:00 and 15:00.

The Mayor of Azuay Police, Andrés Vicuña, confirmed that this event does have the go-ahead, but with the warning that if the maximum capacity of 250 visitors is not respected at the same time, it will be suspended immediately.

Among the participants are the South American Higher Technological Institute, which will present the topic Digital education. Students and teachers are working on the assembly of five metallic structures that will represent the five races that are offered and in the middle will be a 3.5 meter high robot.

The municipal director of Risk Management, Tatiana Pineda, recalled that the display and burning of puppets on public roads is prohibited, so the traditional contest organized by Amistad Club and Unión de Periodistas del Azuay will not be held. Until 2019 this event was held in neighborhoods of Cuenca that took streets, squares and parks.

What is allowed is the sale of puppets in different parts of the city strategically distributed from north to south and from east to west. Prices range from $ 10 to $ 300, depending on their size and complexity.

However, the official anticipated that in the next few hours operations will be carried out to control the proper use of public space and the sale of fireworks.

Measures, in other provinces

In Ambato, while the sale of puppets continues in the traditional Rodrigo Pachano avenue, the local COE ordered the prohibition of the burning of the dolls in public spaces, as well as the holding of festivals, neighborhood events and the use of fireworks.

And it decided that until January 6, the maximum capacity in the premises that carry out commercial activities will be 50%, limiting the opening hours until 23:00 from Monday to Thursday, while Friday and Saturday will be until 00:00.

In Ambato, puppets can be burned as long as it is done within the family circle, it was clarified.

In Babahoyo and Quevedo they will be able to burn puppets, but not in public spaces.

There are dozens of artisans in the Barreiro parish who display their puppets every year in order to market them and earn a few dollars. From 09:00 to 19:00, those interested can choose their favorite old years that are sold from $ 5.

Brígida Rodríguez indicates that this year the best-selling puppets are the doll of The squid game, Spider-Man, Goku, figures from animated cartoons, Ecuadorian soccer players and politicians. “The sale is more or less, it has not yet emerged. It is because of the price, that is why we have decided not to increase the value ”, said the woman.

Despite the restrictions by the national COE on the prohibition of the burning of the puppets, the artisans state that the old years were already made since May and that they cannot keep the merchandise.

While in Quevedo, between the streets Décima and Ricaurte, on the side of the sector popularly known as “La Olla”, from early hours the puppets are exhibited along that street, where they have been placed in an orderly manner by part of the Municipal Police Station. There are also the pyrotechnic dealers.

“The sale is going well, we must thank the control authorities who have allowed us to hold the puppet fair this year. This is how we earn a living, the whole family works in this activity, ”said artisan Ramón Segura.

In these two cantons, like the other ten remaining in this province, they reported that they are taking advantage of the provisions of the national COE, especially the one that indicates that the burning of the old years can be done but only with the presence of people who belong to to their family environment, since burning in public spaces, as well as the consumption of alcoholic beverages, is prohibited.

As for the giant puppet competitions, this year the GAD of Babahoyo decided not to carry them out to avoid crowds, stressed the mayor of that city, Carlos German.

The Municipality of Machala authorized for artisans to sell their products on Calle Arízaga, where you can find puppets from the series The Squid Game ranging from $ 5 to $ 200.

“The doll (puppet) of the Squid It has been sold quickly, we are preparing more to meet the orders, although the measures of the national COE have caused a decrease in sales ”, says Antonio Solano, a craftsman from Calle Arízaga.

The elaboration of the puppets of the Squid it can take anywhere from a day to a week. “We work as a family and we all have a responsibility, my children collaborate from getting the role, they have become my support,” explains Freddy Morán, a merchant located on Arízaga and 9 de Mayo streets.

In Machala, the sale of puppets began at the end of November and increased during these last days of December; “We have been selling puppets for more than 40 years, it has become a tradition,” added another merchant.

The cantonal COE of Machala is in charge of regulating the occupation of the avenue, which on December 31 becomes pedestrian to allow the entry of families who seek to take a picture with the giant puppets and also buy one of them.

In Esmeraldas, the Police Intendant, Paúl Cabrera, said that the sale and burning of the puppets is authorized, but pyrotechnics are prohibited.

Cardboard, paper and wood are the materials used by the Vivero Caicedo family to make the puppets at their home in the center of the city.

Despite the death of Lupo Vivero, manager of the manufacture of puppets for a decade, in José Mejía and Pedro Vicente Maldonado, a traditional sector of the Emerald capital, his relatives will continue to do so.

For this end of the year they design the Younghee doll, from the series The squid game. Jeannine Benítez built the models with recycled material in Quito, where she studies.

With the help of their nephews and cousins, they hoped to finish the finishes and present them for sale to the public from Tuesday.

“There are few puppets that we will build this season due to the cost of materials and that the workforce belongs to the whole family,” he commented.

In this same sector, three other positions with masks and dolls from children’s series and even COVID-19 were already observed. The saleswoman Elena Sarabia said that she brings them from Guayaquil. Prices range from $ 25 to $ 50.

The same manufacturing has been carried out by Julio León and Damián Enríquez, for about six years, at the entrance to the Valle Hermoso neighborhood, south of the city.

About 800 dolls made together with the family, some on request.

The Mayor’s Office of Esmeraldas will hold the Old Years contest on the boardwalk of Las Palmas, this Wednesday 29. (I)