Sunday, April 24, 2016

Ecuador: large tax increases after the earthquake, the balance sheet continues to rise – Liberation

The Ecuadorian government hopes to recover, through strong tax increases, a billion dollars on the three that would cost him as the devastating earthquake that killed nearly 600 people since Saturday.

an aftershock measuring 6 was recorded Thursday at 3:30 GMT near the coast of Ecuador, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), when the country was struggling against the consequences of the recent earthquake that killed nearly 600 dead.

other aftershocks were ressentiées Thursday night, including a 6.1 and a 6 off the coast of Jama (province of Manabi), according to the geophysical Institute of Ecuador (IG) .

“the reconstruction will be long, but together we will overcome this tragedy,” assured for his part President Rafael Correa on Thursday after announcing yesterday a drastic measure to finance post-earthquake: the increase of two points of VAT rising to 14% for a year.

the last official assessment Thursday reported 587 dead, including 29 foreigners, 5,733 injured and more than 20,000 displaced.

This is the worst earthquake in Latin America since that of Haiti in 2010.

for rescuers digging through the rubble in a decomposition odor increasingly unbearable, the hope of finding survivors appeared slim, late Thursday afternoon, five days after the initial jolt.

devastating the Pacific coast, including the tourist areas, the earthquake with a magnitude of 7, 8 should cost to Ecuador three billion dollars, “two or three percentage points of GDP” (gross domestic product) by Rafael Correa

-. severe Blow to the economy –

in an economy already suffering from falling oil prices and stagnated in 2015 (+ 0.1%), the Socialist president called on residents to put their hands to the wallet.

Besides the temporary VAT increase, employees will pay a salary of compulsory contribution, modulated according to their resources, while those whose wealth exceeds one million dollars must pay a sum equivalent to 0.9% of their assets.

Rafael Correa also announced the sale of state assets “to overcome this difficult moment,” without specifying which ones.

overall, “we hope to recover one billion dollars maximum, “said Thursday in a press conference, the Director of internal annuities (SRI), Leonardo Orlando.

the tourism sector, expected to become a flagship activity Ecuador to compensate falling oil revenues could suffer lasting earthquake.

“what worries us is the following. How to rebuild and how to ensure that people can keep their jobs and that this does not turn into a social crisis? “, Wondered Thursday José Ochoa, president of the Hotel Federation of Ecuador, told AFP.

“Over 40 (hotels) are destroyed, but many others were affected in the structure level,” he added

-. Little hope of survivors –

on the ground, the relatives of missing despaired Thursday of finding them alive, despite the efforts of more than 900 rescuers, firemen, doctors and specialists from 20 countries, including Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela and Spain.

“There, there is no survivor,” noted bitterly, Andrea Figueroa, the Mexican NGO Cadena, showing the rubble of a hardware store in Manta, one of the cities the most affected.

Since Monday, she has continued to search the debris with his team, and a dog and a scanner used to detect signs of life.

in the Tarqui district completely destroyed, rescue operations are complete, said fire Chief Quito, Ever Arroyo came as reinforcements. “Currently, we are with corpses putrefying,” said he said.

Having lost everything, survivors lined up to get water, food or products hygiene, thanks to donations from the public.

“But there are not many of arrival,” according to a resident, Carmen Correa.

In the village of TASASTE near Pedernales, epicenter of the earthquake, the priest Ivan Onofre Thursday assured the distribution of food to the victims with the support of the military.

“With earthquakes, people are nervous, lost, they expect the worst, “he told the more than 500 aftershocks have occurred since Saturday contributing to the ambient anxiety.

Rafael Correa Wednesday called for the creation of a south American authority of natural disasters.

AFP

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