Guayaquil is waking up from the nightmare caused by the violence

36 lookout cabins on the Ferris wheel ‘Pearl’the first in Ecuador and the largest in Latin America, stopped spinning into nothing, as happened on the fatal one January 9 and this Tuesday, seven days later, they are starting to fill up as a sign that Guayaquil is slowly waking up from the nightmare it experienced a week ago.

This building, 57 meters high, is located at the northern end Malecon 2000on a platform above the Guayas River, is an icon for this city where at least eight of its citizens died that day, and thirty workers from the channel TC Televisión who, along with the robbery, were taken hostage by the criminal group ‘Los Tiguerones’ and attempted kidnappings that terrified people on on the streets, in shops and offices.

In a port city Guayaquilwhich is considered the economic axis of Ecuador, economic activities collapsed.

“On average, at the national level, sales of 317 million dollars a day have been stopped because of the uncertainty that happened last week,” the Chamber of Commerce of Guayaquil told EFE.

Of that number, there were losses “about 135 million dollars a day exclusively in Guayaquil”so “this week, after the actions in Armed forces against crime, we hope that economic activity will return to a certain degree of normalization,” the entities state.

Trade and tourism are reactivated

In the Avenue Simón Bolívar Malecónat the height of the building where the president of Ecuador sits, Daniel Noboahas one of its residences, the restaurant’s chefs and waiters eagerly await guests.

“A lot of people came here, but because of the events of January 9, activities continue until now,” said Eduardo, who outside the restaurant encouraged three foreigners to overcome their fear of being in the area and eat “delicious onions.”

The same was done by the security guard at the National Cocoa Museum, where “they are trying to save the history, culture and tradition” of the so-called ‘golden nugget’.

Ecuador is the world leader in the production of premium cocoa, with a quantity close to 200,000 tons are produced annually by around 100,000 familiesthe museum is a must-see.

However, it closed its doors on January 10 “due to the security situation in the country” and now has “a schedule change for the month of January”, as it will only receive visitors between 10:00 a.m. local time (15:00 GMT) and 4:00 p.m. :00 (21:00 GMT).

Also, little by little, the curious return to the promenade, which in its 2.5 kilometer length allows you to appreciate the monuments, gardens, fountains and docks.

Airway in motion

Some, like Jorge, watch in the sky the passage of the Aerovía, a cable car made up of 154 cabins, with a maximum capacity of 10 people in each, which can transport up to 40,000 users a day, and which connects the center of Guayaquil with the neighboring municipality of Durán.

Despite its importance, it was suspended on January 9 because the violence did not allow “the normal operation of the service nor guarantee the safety of its users,” according to a statement from the Mayor’s Office, which said that the Metrovía bus system was also suspended, paralyzed.

As early as January 10 and taking into account that Guayaquil has inhabitants 2.6 million inhabitants that, although life was fearfully restarted, mass transit was reactivated by 11:00 p.m. local time (4:00 GMT), when Noboa’s 60-day curfew begins.

This Wednesday only, Metrovía “transported 53,909 passengers.”

However, it was not easy to return to “normality”. Therefore, the Mayor’s Directorate for Social Inclusion posted on its social networks: “If you experience panic or anxiety attacks, you are not alone. Call 0984150476 and access our free psychological support service.”

And President Nobo, who has declared an “internal war” against organized crime groups, which he has declared “terrorist” groups, already declared during the weekend that “all Ecuadorians are concerned” about the acts of violence “but it cannot be stopped.”