Peruvia

Krelalja Resigns: The BBC, Bloomberg, Reuters, the Voice of America, and Xinhua Net report that Minister of Justice Baldo Kresalja Rosselló  "quit on Friday because he opposed a new law regulating the broadcast media."  Reuters offers the best story and reports that Toledo announced the resignation himself from Cuzco where he "was handing over aid for people in isolated southern Andean villages hit by sub-zero temperatures in a cold spell that has killed at least 13 children this week alone." NOTE: Kresalja "had written to Congress outlining his opposition to certain points in the law, including its approval of foreign ownership of up to 40 percent of Peru's radio and television stations. The law is supposed to prevent monopolies but Kresalja said cross-holdings by other media groups to control broadcast media despite ownership limits were not sufficiently regulated." 

 

More Deaths in Cold: Reuters, the United Nations, and the UN's World Food Programme report on the devestation of sub-zero temperatures in Puno "as heavy snow and rain take their toll on peasants ill-equipped for a cold snap that began in June."  Reuters quotes Juan Luis Podestá Llosa of the National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI) saying, "this week we have attended 1,045 cases of pneumonia and 13 children have died." (Reuters suggests he is a "Health Ministry official.")  The United Nations quotes UN Children’s Fund Representative in Peru Andres Franc  who says that "50 Peruvian children" have died  and "1.4 million people suffering from life-threatening respiratory infections." NOTE: "Temperatures have fallen to minus 77 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 25 degrees centigrade) in some parts of the Andes and brought snow to the tourist city of Cuzco for the first time in nearly 20 years."

 

Airline Chaos: Dow Jones reviews the crisis in Peru's airline industry and reports that "travel agents on Friday called the situation 'difficult,' saying prices for some domestic flights had almost doubled, if space could be found ... some areas that AeroContinente served are still without flights." CITED: Minister of Transportation and Communications Jose Ortiz, Carlos Canales (Chamber of Tourism), Nestor Huaco Onari ( Tans Peru), Daniel Ratti (Taca Peru) and Lupe Zevallos (AeroContinente's CEO) who declared, "We are going to keep flying since Peruvians feel we are their airline." ALSO: "The regional government of Loreto, an Amazon jungle area without road ties to Lima, ran a newspaper advertisement Thursday saying the region 'has been seriously affected by the wrong-headed government decision to ground AeroContinente'."   LanPeru "has kept operating, protected in part by the emergency ruling from the government." The Associated Press and Reuters offer photographs of AeroContinente workers (including one of Lupe Zevallos in uniform) protesting in front of the Ministry of Transportation.  IN SPANISH: See Tans' related press release.

 

Asparagus Wars, cont.: The Associated Press  reports from Michigan and says that while asparagus farmer Dick Walsworth "has overcome nearly every agricultural problem imaginable" in the last 35 years "but what really frightens him is the prospect of another five or 10 years of competing with Peru's asparagus growers."  NOTE: "Asparagus has surpassed coffee in 2003 as Peru's largest agricultural export, according to a report published in June by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.  ALSO: USA Congressman Pete Hoekstra said he plans to meet soon with Robert Zoellick, U.S. trade representative, and request a cap on Peruvian asparagus imports." CITED: John Bakker (Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board).   NOTE: Michigan Asparagus Research  and Asparagus Enterprises each share email and telephone numbers with the Mr. Bakker at the Advisory Board).  SEE ALSO:  The Seattle Times June 2004 series on asparagus (registration: peruvia/peruvia), 'Asparagus Wars' in July 2's Peruvia, and this 2000 story on farmer Walsworth and Peruvian asparagus.

 

Peru-to-Europe Travel: The Independent reports Iberia airlines will "abandon its hub operations in Miami" that services Latin American connections as a result of the new USA travel laws.  However, the paper also reports that "Lan is to start a non-stop flight between Madrid and Lima. Lan is part of the Oneworld alliance; accordingly, British Airways and Iberia will offer connections from the UK.

 

Future of Rio Blanco Unknown: Reuters reports that Monterrico Metals "has agreed to carry out a new, fuller joint environmental impact study with the government" on the Rio Blanco copper project, "to convince farmers that the mine will not pollute land and rivers," according to Monterrico spokesman Jose Arrieta.  NOTE: "Peasants in Peru's northern Andes oppose plans to build the $370 million [mine] and rejected conclusions of a government report that said the mine's environmental impact would be minimal," according to Tomas Saavedra (Piura regional government) .  ALSO: How 'peasants' blocked Manhattan Minerals Corp. in Tambogrande last year.  CITED: Luis Bravo (Centura SAB) and Ray Angus (Monterrico's Chief Operating Officer).   

 
Pacasmayo Won't Go to USA: Dow Jones reports on Cementos Pacasmayo which said "it had decided against proceeding with plans to build a cement plant in the USA," according to the company's legal representative Javier Durand. NOTE: "The company had been considering expanding in the U.S., looking at building a cement plant in Nevada." ALSO: "The family-owned Hochschild group, which has widespread interests in Peru, holds a majority stake in the company."

MRodriguez Arrives in Kiev: Russia's Novosti reports that "Ukraine will help Peru modernize its air force, in particular, An-32 planes. A relevant agreement was achieved between Ukrainian Industry Minister Alexandr Neustriyev and Peru's Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros during the latter's official visit to Kiev."  Rodriguez visited the Antonov aircraft factory and "confirmed Peru's interest in the purchase of new Ukrainian planes." 

 
Reagan Arrives in Peru, cont.: The USA Navy Compass reports that the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group "completed Silent Forces Exercises (SIFOREX) [in early July] after four days of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) tactics with the Peruvian Navy.  NOTE: "Ronald Reagan CSG is the first group to foster a relationship with Peru through SIFOREX." A separate story in the Navy Compass reports from Salinas on the "UNITAS 45-04 Amphibious Phase which is hosted by Peru and sponsored by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command." NOTE: "The first wave of Marines and Peruvian army and navy special operations units arrived by sea and air to clear the beach from hidden explosives, while F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, operating from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and Peruvian Air Force A-37 provided close air support." Said USA Rear Admiral Vinson Smith, commander, Task Force 138, "This is not only the first multinational amphibious assault ever conducted in Latin America, but it is also the first joint exercise incorporating the Peruvian army as opposition force, and the Peruvian air force supporting the assault with their strike power.” SEE ALSO: 'Reagan Arrives in Peru' in July 10's Peruvia.
  
Tragedy in Paruro: Xinhua News reports that "some children made a fire in a forest in Peru to scare away bees in order to get honey, causing a major blaze that killed six people and injured at least 20" in Paruro, Cuzco.  NOTE: The fire "lasted for more than 17 hours."

 

Tragedy in Japan: The Mainichi Shimbun reports that Takashi Takayama, "a Peruvian teenager has drowned after swimming at an Oiso beach" in Kanagawa , according to police. He had been with his father Carlos Takayama.

 

Economist Eats Cuy: The Economist reports on "a guinea pig for all tastes and seasons." NOTE: "The birth of the mega cuy.

 

Nazca Floods: The Independent reports that the Nazca lines are under "great threat [and] could be destroyed or damaged beyond repair within a matter of years," according to Viktoria Nikitzki of the Maria Reiche Centre.  NOTE: "The Maria Reiche Centre says international intervention is needed to protect the Lines, calling for local pollution controls and irrigation systems to divert water away from them. " [Editorial Note: The article is based entirely on Nikitzki's pronouncements.  As Peruvia is not aware of a 'Maria Reiche Centre,' we would be much obliged if a reader made us aware of this institution.]

 

Martha Stewart and Peru: The Smoking Gun reports that in trying to seek leniency from a court's judgement, Martha Stewart claimed that "while visiting Peru, she even 'took underprivileged children to Machu Picchu'." 

 

Bolivian Gas and Indigenous Power in Peru: The New York Times reports from Bolivia on indigenous political power and this weekend's gas referendum.  ALSO: "The political awakening has extended into Peru, where indigenous people have also closed highways and taken over some small towns.

 

Copa Quarterfinals: The Assoicated Press in two reports , the BBC, Australia's SBS, and Italy's Inter club review tonight's Peru vs. Argentina match in Chicalyo.  The Miami Herald runs wire copy for the weekends Copa quarterfinals. NOTE: Not on the field tonight: Jefferson Farfan (two yellow-cards), Claudio Pizarro (head injury) and maybe Flavio Maestri (muscle injury).   The Associated Press and  Xinhua Net reports that Pizarro "successfully underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his skull he suffered during the match against Venezuela in the Copa America.  Doctor Christianto Lumenta, head of the neuro-surgery department of the Bogenhausen Clinic of Munich, said "the operation was normal and the patient is fine."

 

Too Much Drinking?, cont.: Reuters  reports that "Coach Paulo Autuori has been fined $2,000 for refusing to attend post-match news conferences at the Copa America." NOTE: "The Copa America organisers and the South American Football Federation (CONMEBOL) "severely" admonished Autuori in a statement and urged the Peruvian delegation to "do what they have to do" to get him to show up to media conferences." A separate Reuters story has "Roberto Palacios says the team are tired of having their private lives scrutinised and accused the country's tabloid papers of creating scandals out of nothing." Yet another Reuters story reports that "Peru continued to sulk and again locked the media out of their training session ... angry after a tabloid [Aja] last week claimed a drinking binge was behind their disappointing performance" against Bolivia. CITED: team spokesman Hernan Zamudio, Coach Paulo Autuori,  and team doctor Ramon Aparicio. SEE ALSO: 'Too Much Drinking' in July 11 (below) and July 10's Peruvia.