700 Ecuadorians live in Ukraine, according to data published by the Foreign Ministry on its official Twitter account. But, beyond the figure, who are the compatriots who live in Ukraine? Why did they leave? How did they get to that country that would seem culturally more distant than the 11,570 kilometers that separate it from Ecuador? Ecuadorians went to Ukraine full of dreams. Those that all migrants carry in their backpacks. Some shared their lives and their attempts to flee the war with LA HORA.
jean andrade
“If the Foreign Minister had a son in Zaporizhzhia, perhaps they would have already come looking for us.” Jean Andrade left Ecuador 5 years ago. He is one year away from graduating as a doctor. Today he woke up in the middle of a war. He lives 200 kilometers from the Russian border. He has fear. He hasn’t heard from the consulate, he doesn’t know what to do. By whatsapp he received the video from the Foreign Minister: Poland and Slovenia opened borders, but there is no transportation.
Watch the full interview at https://fb.watch/bnKD8jxYbz/
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1150580339043273
David Mora
In four months the thesis was finished. He studies Aerospace Mechanics. He lives in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. She today she got up with the sirens that announce the worst. He escaped from his apartment because he is near a bridge, which is always a military target. Adriana Acosta is desperate “I want my son to arrive alive”
If you want to know more, watch the full interview at https://www.facebook.com/lahoraecuador/videos/641897167091927
Naomi Lemma
She is 21 years old, she came to Zaporizhzhia with the goal of becoming a doctor. She does not want to return to Ecuador. She wishes she didn’t have to escape her dream. She is looking for a way to get to Poland. The city is short of supplies, she has not found water or canned goods. She lives near a university residence.
If you want to know more, watch the full interview at https://www.facebook.com/lahoraecuador/videos/1048725106079956
Saskya Villarreal
She is Naomi’s friend. They study together. They want to get to the border with Poland, but there is no transport. They closed airports, train stations and buses. Saskya has an additional problem. There is no money in the ATMs. There are long lines and the money runs out halfway through. Every time the situation is difficult.
Lisbeth Cunalata
He lives in Zaporizhzhia. She is 22 years old. For her, February 24 was a normal day, even she went to class in the morning. She started the war. Her sister Catalina lives in Barcelona. They talk on WhatsApp all day. They don’t know how to get out of the city she entered curfew. Catalina says that there has been no correct communication from the Foreign Ministry
If you want to know more, watch the full interview at https://www.facebook.com/lahoraecuador/videos/4947355872023569
Sebastian Baez
He never thought that four months after arriving in Ukraine to start his Aeronautical Engineering degree, a war would break out. He lives in Vinnytsia. In March he turns 20. His mother, Doris Pastor, is worried. In the city everything is relatively calm, but she thinks that in 3 or 4 days they would have to leave. His mother just wants to see him back home.
Diego Viteri
He is an architect in training. He 4 years ago he lives in Kiev. We communicate by Whatsapp. The Internet in his city is more and more intermittent. “There are fighter planes that passed through my window and he scared me, but I’m not going to leave the Capital, I’ll stay here with my cats” he adopted them a year ago. The female is called Юе (Yue) and the male Кирара (kirara). He doesn’t know what procedure to follow to escape with his two pets.
Wladimir Henriquez
9 years ago he came to live in Lviv. She realized that there are many opportunities for students and began by bringing his brothers. Later, I created a small agency to facilitate the procedures for Ecuadorians who want to study in Ukraine. He doesn’t want to leave the city, he has his whole life there. Can’t imagine anywhere else.
Why was it so advisable to go to Ukraine? Watch the full interview at https://www.facebook.com/lahoraecuador/videos/806294797430037
Erickson Miranda
While everyone wants to leave, he wants to return. He lives in Ukraine 4 years ago. The day Russia attacked, he was in Turkey. He was returning to Ivano-Frankivsk the next day, but the borders were closed. He can’t go back. He must not. But his money stayed in the invaded country. “I don’t want to be alone, I would like to meet with the group of Ecuadorians, to take care of ourselves” At the moment he is in a hostel without knowing what to do or where to go. All of his friends are stuck in the Ukraine.
Mireya Colonel
He lived in Ukraine. With the first sirens he left aimlessly with two friends. “I’ve been here for 9 years and it makes me powerless to have to go out with a small suitcase and leave everything behind.” She says it breaks her heart to leave her friends. She had already finished general medicine and was specializing in Endocrinology. She took 5 hours to fill her car with gasoline.
