[Stoves] the price of bottled gas

[Andrew C. Parker]

I thought these developments in Ecuador might be of interest to the list.   
It highlights the difficulties of maintaining subsidies on bottled gas.   
For the Spanish deficient, the articles discuss the scarcity of subsidized  
gas in certain provinces of Ecuador that is forcing some to cook with wood  
to feed their families.  Reasons for the scarcities are usually black  
market reselling of gas to unauthorized users, such as restaurants, taxis,  
cars, buses, etc., smuggling of gas to Colombia, and production  
shortages.  (Ironically, Ecuador, a member of OPEC, is often forced to  
purchase LPG from Colombia at market rates to meet demand for subsidized  
bottled gas)

<http://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2013/05/08/nota/910461/imbabura-obligados-cocinar-lena-debido-escasez-gas>
<http://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2013/05/08/nota/910451/venta-cilindros-es-irregular-rios-esmeraldas>