Monday, May 03, 2004
Peru & Cuba Clash: Agence France Press, the Associated Press, the BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters the Voice of America, and Xinhua News Agency report that Peru withdrew Ambassador Juan Alvarez Vita, its envoy to Cuba on Sunday after harsh criticism from President Fidel Castro at a May Day speech in Havana on Saturday." Castro had "lashed out at Lima, saying Peru was an example of the 'wretchedness and dependency' left by neo-liberal economic policies. [Castro] slammed unpopular President Alejandro Toledo as a man who 'does not and cannot direct anything.' " In response, a Foreign Ministry statement in Lima said Peru "rejected Castro's 'offensive' comments and was downgrading its diplomatic representation to a business attache. It is the second time Toledo's government has pulled out its envoy." A separate Reuters piece quotes Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros declaring that relations with Cuba would continue at "a medium temperature." According to an interview with RPP, Rodriguez stated that "We can maintain exchanges of commercial cooperation and dialogue with Cuba as long as the Cuban government can conduct itself in the future in a manner that is not out of step with international practice." Reuters decided it was appropriate to furnish a photograph of Toledo with Castro in January 2003. NOTE: An updated Associated Press story takes a different twist and says that US Secretary of State Colin Powell "offered Mexico and Peru strong backing in a dispute with Cuba over human rights" as he "presented recommendations to President Bush on Monday to end communist rule in Cuba." The United Press International reports that Powells comments were declared at a Council of the Americas Conference.
Press in Peru: Today Reporters Without Borders honours the 14th World Press Freedom Day and releases their Annual Report which includes a three page section on Peru. "Press freedom suffered in 2003 from the political instability and the efforts of a discredited government to control its image." Sections include: "Two journalists detained;" "15 journalists physically attacked;" "Four journalists threatened;" "Harassment and obstruction." The Associated Press adds a photograph of the commemoration in Lima.
Mayor Lynched, cont: The Catholic News Service offers their take on the Ilave lynching, stating that this incident has "shocked the country and raised new challenges for the area's Catholic Church, which has historically been a leader in human rights." Quotes come from Bishop Elio Perez Tapia of Juli and Victor Maqque, who heads the university ministry at the National University of the Altiplano in Puno. ALSO: "As soon as the protests began, the Vicariate of Solidarity, the local church's human rights office, immediately began talking with groups on both sides of the conflict. But vicariate coordinator Nancy Astete said Peruvian legislation complicated the search for a solution." Several Australian news sources observe that "coca growers were today preparing to march on Lima to protest Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo's policies after a week that saw a wave of rural town council kidnappings and the lynching of a mayor." There were "between 5000 and 7000 coca growers were massed at a municipal stadium in Chosica." They also note that the town of Tilali "released five city council members they had held since Thursday. They suspended their mayor for a year, saying he was corrupt," supported by reporting from Radio Programas del Peru. Also: Congressman Lorenzo Torres Calla "was run out of town, according to local media."
Free Trade, cont: Bloomberg and Reuters reports that "the United States said it would begin talks with Peru and Ecuador this month on a free-trade pact the Latin Americans see as an 'historic' chance to boost exports and create jobs," according to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. They join Colombia "but Bolivia is still lagging and will be left out for now." AToledo "hailed the free-trade agreement as an 'historic treaty (which) will mark a new milestone in Peru's relations with the United States.' " Also quoted: Foreign Trade Minister Alfredo Ferrero; Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros. Also detailed: the expiration in 2006 of the Andean Trade Preferences and Drug Eradication Act. (See also 'Free Trade or Free Trade?' in April 24's Peruvia.
Gold Conference: Reuters reports on the upcoming (May 4-7) conference with gold producers to be held in Lima in the context of "gold prices and hedging now that major market driver China is talking about cooling down its juggernaut economy." Officials from the four biggest gold producers, Newmont Mining Corp, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold Corp, and Gold Fields, among others, will "survey investment prospects." Also included: possible mining taxes. Quoted: Carlos Galvez and Jose Miguel Morales (both of the National Society for Mining, Petroleum and Energy), and an organizer of the biannual event; and Haytham Hodaly (Salman Partners in Vancouver). Interfax obliquely mentions MGorbachev's presence in Lima. He will be the headliner at the conference.
Macro/Micro Econ:
- Reuters reports that Credicorp's first quarter numbers "rockets 1,104%."
- Lumina Copper Corp. put out a press release to announce that it has "completed the purchase of the Molino mining concession that lies contiguous to Lumina's Galeno property in the Yanacocha district in Peru. Lumina has a long-term option to acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Galeno property."
Why No More Guano, cont: Science Daily follows up with the new study in the current issue of Fisheries Oceanography that says the populations of Peru's famous island birds "have declined dramatically in the last 40 years, largely because the availability of their main food supply, anchovies, once plentiful, has been severely reduced by the Peruvian fishery." A separate press release has several accompanying photographs. The New York Times refers offhandedly to this news. (See the bottom of the article.)
Truth Commission Reported: National Public Radio's Tavis Smiley interviewed Ellis Close, the author of Bone to Pick: Of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation, and Revenge, a book that "concludes that the truth and reconciliation commissions in South Africa and Peru provided more of the former than the latter; a Peruvian tells him that reconciliation must be rooted in fundamental change that has so far not been forthcoming in that country."
LHorna Defeated: The Washington Post reports that Nikolay Davydenko "needed 84 minutes to defeat" Luis Horna 6-4, 6-1. Reuters offers a photo of Horna in his final match of the tournament. Davydendko went on to win the BMW Open.
Sporting Cristal vs Boca Juniors: Reuters previews the match between Sporting Cristal "dreaming of another upset when they host Boca Juniors in Tuesday's South American Libertadores Cup second round, first leg match."
ETC:
- Minnesota's St. Cloud Times notes that Rev. John 'Jack' Davis, a missionary in Chimbote, will receive the Pax Christi Award at St. John's University.
- An article in the Revolutionary Worker has at least three references to the Partido Comunista del Peru today.
- Italo-Peruvian Art: The Washington Post lists that "Italian-influenced Peruvian furnishings" will be dsplayed at the Palazzo Italia, Italian Cultural Center, in Baltimore. "Hand-carved pieces created by artisans from Peru's Andean Mountains who are members of a cooperative taught by masters from Italy."
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Press in Peru: Today Reporters Without Borders honours the 14th World Press Freedom Day and releases their Annual Report which includes a three page section on Peru. "Press freedom suffered in 2003 from the political instability and the efforts of a discredited government to control its image." Sections include: "Two journalists detained;" "15 journalists physically attacked;" "Four journalists threatened;" "Harassment and obstruction." The Associated Press adds a photograph of the commemoration in Lima.
Mayor Lynched, cont: The Catholic News Service offers their take on the Ilave lynching, stating that this incident has "shocked the country and raised new challenges for the area's Catholic Church, which has historically been a leader in human rights." Quotes come from Bishop Elio Perez Tapia of Juli and Victor Maqque, who heads the university ministry at the National University of the Altiplano in Puno. ALSO: "As soon as the protests began, the Vicariate of Solidarity, the local church's human rights office, immediately began talking with groups on both sides of the conflict. But vicariate coordinator Nancy Astete said Peruvian legislation complicated the search for a solution." Several Australian news sources observe that "coca growers were today preparing to march on Lima to protest Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo's policies after a week that saw a wave of rural town council kidnappings and the lynching of a mayor." There were "between 5000 and 7000 coca growers were massed at a municipal stadium in Chosica." They also note that the town of Tilali "released five city council members they had held since Thursday. They suspended their mayor for a year, saying he was corrupt," supported by reporting from Radio Programas del Peru. Also: Congressman Lorenzo Torres Calla "was run out of town, according to local media."
Free Trade, cont: Bloomberg and Reuters reports that "the United States said it would begin talks with Peru and Ecuador this month on a free-trade pact the Latin Americans see as an 'historic' chance to boost exports and create jobs," according to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. They join Colombia "but Bolivia is still lagging and will be left out for now." AToledo "hailed the free-trade agreement as an 'historic treaty (which) will mark a new milestone in Peru's relations with the United States.' " Also quoted: Foreign Trade Minister Alfredo Ferrero; Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros. Also detailed: the expiration in 2006 of the Andean Trade Preferences and Drug Eradication Act. (See also 'Free Trade or Free Trade?' in April 24's Peruvia.
Gold Conference: Reuters reports on the upcoming (May 4-7) conference with gold producers to be held in Lima in the context of "gold prices and hedging now that major market driver China is talking about cooling down its juggernaut economy." Officials from the four biggest gold producers, Newmont Mining Corp, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold Corp, and Gold Fields, among others, will "survey investment prospects." Also included: possible mining taxes. Quoted: Carlos Galvez and Jose Miguel Morales (both of the National Society for Mining, Petroleum and Energy), and an organizer of the biannual event; and Haytham Hodaly (Salman Partners in Vancouver). Interfax obliquely mentions MGorbachev's presence in Lima. He will be the headliner at the conference.
Macro/Micro Econ:
- Reuters reports that Credicorp's first quarter numbers "rockets 1,104%."
- Lumina Copper Corp. put out a press release to announce that it has "completed the purchase of the Molino mining concession that lies contiguous to Lumina's Galeno property in the Yanacocha district in Peru. Lumina has a long-term option to acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Galeno property."
Why No More Guano, cont: Science Daily follows up with the new study in the current issue of Fisheries Oceanography that says the populations of Peru's famous island birds "have declined dramatically in the last 40 years, largely because the availability of their main food supply, anchovies, once plentiful, has been severely reduced by the Peruvian fishery." A separate press release has several accompanying photographs. The New York Times refers offhandedly to this news. (See the bottom of the article.)
Truth Commission Reported: National Public Radio's Tavis Smiley interviewed Ellis Close, the author of Bone to Pick: Of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation, and Revenge, a book that "concludes that the truth and reconciliation commissions in South Africa and Peru provided more of the former than the latter; a Peruvian tells him that reconciliation must be rooted in fundamental change that has so far not been forthcoming in that country."
LHorna Defeated: The Washington Post reports that Nikolay Davydenko "needed 84 minutes to defeat" Luis Horna 6-4, 6-1. Reuters offers a photo of Horna in his final match of the tournament. Davydendko went on to win the BMW Open.
Sporting Cristal vs Boca Juniors: Reuters previews the match between Sporting Cristal "dreaming of another upset when they host Boca Juniors in Tuesday's South American Libertadores Cup second round, first leg match."
ETC:
- Minnesota's St. Cloud Times notes that Rev. John 'Jack' Davis, a missionary in Chimbote, will receive the Pax Christi Award at St. John's University.
- An article in the Revolutionary Worker has at least three references to the Partido Comunista del Peru today.
- Italo-Peruvian Art: The Washington Post lists that "Italian-influenced Peruvian furnishings" will be dsplayed at the Palazzo Italia, Italian Cultural Center, in Baltimore. "Hand-carved pieces created by artisans from Peru's Andean Mountains who are members of a cooperative taught by masters from Italy."
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