Politics and Demonstrations

Some of the members of the "Mercado Central" Cooperative in the City of Quito that assisted in presenting a basic course in cooperativism at the General Assembly. With them on the right is R. Jensen, a Peace Corps Volunteer and one of the teachers of the course.

Cooperative National Assembly

The 1967 General Assembly of the National Federation of Cooperatives occured in January in Quito. As described in my letter home that month, the progress attained in comparison to the 1966 Assembly was significant. Growth figures found in the record of the 1968 Federation of Cooperatives Assembly illustate that progress. 

 

Between December 1966 and September 1967, for the entire country of Ecuador, the number of cooperatives increased 13% (from 152 to 172), membership increased 22% (from 24,006 to 29,192), and the value of loans in Sucres (Ecuadorian currency at the time) increased 69% from 78,768,200 to 133,308,400. 

 

[In 2000 the US Dollar was adopted as Ecuador's official currency with a value of 25,000 sucres to the dollar. In 2001, the Sucre was no longer an official currency.]

 

Quito 2020, per Iowa Credit Union League

 

In 2019, members of the Iowa Credit Union League conducted a World Council of Credit Unions exchange visit with Ecuador. By that year, Ecuador had about 600 credit union cooperatives. They visited two of them – Cooperativa Jardin Azuayo in Cuenca and Cooprogreso, based in the capital of Quito. Jardin Azuayo is the second-largest credit union in Ecuador, with more than 400,000 members and assets of $835 million, and Cooprogreso is the fourth-largest, with 214,000 members and assets of $491 million.

 

Today, according to the Iowa visitors, Ecuador credit unions emphasize microlending (as was stressed by the Peace Corps Volunteers in the 1960s). Microlending programs have allowed both credit unions visited to significantly impact their members and their communities. The programs enable the credit unions to help middle and lower-income members obtain loans for their businesses despite a typical lack of credit history, and gain critical educational opportunities.

 

Rio Protocol

 

Plaza Grande: Where we encountered a demonstration against the Rio Protocol

according to my 1-31-67 letter.  H Graem © 2007

 

 

1942 signing of the Protocol & a big chandelier

 

 

The Protocol was intended to finally resolve the long-running territorial dispute between the Peru and Ecuador. It was to mark the official end of the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War of 1941-1942. 

 

Regardless, the Protocol failed to satisfy that goal.  War broke out between Peru and Ecuador twice more, in 1981 and in 1995. Ultimately, the 1995 signing of the Itamaraty Peace Declaration was believed to bring final resolution to the dispute. 

 

The Declaration of Itamaraty officially ended the 1995 combat between the two countries.  Under the declaration the two nations accepted an observation mission from the guarantee countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States.) The total demilitarization of the disputed area was required. 

 

The two countries committed to start negotiations to resolve the border dispute peacefully. The success of these negotiations was commemorated on October 28, 1998, in a historic ceremony at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia. The long-standing border dispute that had fed persistent rivalry, a series of failed diplomatic overtures, and sporadic hostilities between Ecuador and Peru was finally put to rest. 

 

The signing of the Brasilia Peace Accord was the final act in a prolonged conflict that had, due to the vast size and strategic location of the contested area, been an enduring source of regional instability. This outcome followed an intensive mediation exercise that had mobilised diplomatic energies on an unprecedented scale, incorporating the first effective multilateral peace-keeping mission in South America.

 

 

Dating and Attitudes 

I end this subject and Post with a thought from the mature person (no longer a 20 year old) producing this blog.  Given the attitudes, beliefs and ‘facts’ voted for by a large portion of the American population at the ending of 2020, are we really that different from 1960s Ecuadorians? Perhaps a young Ecuadorian visiting the United States today might have thoughts about American culture not dissimilar to mine 60 years ago regarding Ecuador.

 

 

Festivals, Festivities & Similar Activities

Central Quito, with certain plazas labeled, where various festivities were known to occur  

Around the end of the year Ecuadorians focus on enjoying life.  It is a time of holidays and associated celebrations. It is not a time to expect a lot of work to be done.  The following, pieced together from photographs, memory and my letters home, is a taste of what I experienced around the New Year:

Day of the Dead - November 1 & 2, visit the graves of ancestors and leave food. For a time of great liveliness and cheer, it is ironic that this end of the year period begins with the Day of the Dead. 

Celebrating Quito in the streets

 

American Thanksgiving - Late November dinner at the Peace Corps doctor’s home along with 8-9 other volunteers and the Peace Corps Director for Ecuador. Included martinis, turkey and the traditional trimmings.

Co-op Volunteer Conference - November 28 is start to our semiannual volunteer gathering consisting of discussions among ourselves leading hopefully to constructive suggestions for the Ecuador Cooperative Federation. We also participate in courses volunteers had requested on subjects where we felt weak.

Pre-Conference party - November 25 we Quito residents plus other volunteers in town for the conference enjoy a Spaghetti dinner with wine at residence of some female volunteers living in our barrio Vicentina. After dinner a CARE worker we had invited played folk songs on his guitar. 

Dancing at a big party

Quito Foundation Day - December 6 marks the Spanish founding of Quito by the conquistador Sebastian de Benalcazar. [The city existed long before the arrival of the Spanish. Historians believe the indigenous Quitu people originally established it as an important urban center.] The founding of Quito is officially commemorated with bullfights (I attended a few), a tradition which is a relic of Spanish colonial rule.

 

Misa de Gallo - On December 24 Ecuadorians celebrate a special mass called the “Rooster Mass.” 

 

Christmas - On December 25 Ecuadorians go all out with citywide Christmas pageants. This is the day of the Paseo del Niño children’s parade. 

February/March Carnival - beginning on the weekend before Lent and continuing until Fat Tuesday, Ecuador’s Carnival celebrations are in full swing. Quito celebrations include people throwing water balloons, spraying foam, and other frivolous activities.  

 

Out on the streets at night on Quito's Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children Waiting to Attend Party?