Peruvia

Camisea Reveals Ancient Treasures: Reuters reports that a by-product of the laying down of Camisea's high-tech gas pipeline from the southern jungle to Lima have been ancient artifacts "which total 72 tons in weight and include mummies, textiles, jewelry, ceramics and weaponry." NOTE: "They proved an obstacle for pipeline builder Argentine-led Transportadora de Gas del Peru which had to add 21 miles to its proposed pipeline route to prevent damaging the relics." CITED: Archaeologists Lucia Balbuena and Luis Salcedo Camacho and "the little-known Echarate culture." ALSO: “The Echarate culture is the predecessor of the Marvalle tribe that was until now the oldest in Cuzco,” according to Salcedo who "hopes to eventually publish his research and is developing a small museum in the coastal town of Lurin, south of Lima, where some of the relics can be shown." See Also: This IADB report on work on Km. 66.

Doing Biz in Peru: The World Bank released their Doing Business database which "provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement. The Doing Business indicators are comparable across 145 economies. They indicate the regulatory costs of business and can be used to analyze specific regulations that enhance or constrain investment, productivity and growth." The section on Doing Business in Peru includes several sub-sections on Starting a Business, Hiring and Firing Workers, Registering Property in Peru, Getting Credit, Protecting Investors, Enforcing Contracts, and Closing a Business, all tailored to Peru. An Economist editorial and an article in Toronto’s Globe and Mail attribute the database on "the pioneering work of Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, [the] first to chronicle barriers obstructing ordinary business folk. He said poor nations shoot themselves in the foot with heavy- and ham-handed regulation."

Trans Amazon Cooperation, cont.: Agência Brasil, the Miami Herald, and Xinhua Net report on the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization meeting in Manaus where "Amazon nations urged to protect rain forest. NOTE: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guayana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty in 1978. According to the Agência Brasil, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations Celso Amorim "expressed support for an association between the Mercosur and the Andean Community and declared that, "all the Andean countries are Amazonian." ALSO: "Today, as part of the Manaus event, the ministers will inaugurate the II Amazonia International Fair and the First International Seminar on Amazon Regional Integration and Cooperation." Xinhua reports that ACTO Secretary General Rosalia Arteaga stated in her opening speech that, "Maybe it will not be exaggerated that, in a not very distant future, our countries will require the creation of an organization of Water Producing and Exporting Countries Organization, as there is the one for other strategic resources, like petroleum."

Two To Record: The Dallas/Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez will join his compatriot, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and music director Miguel Harth-Bedoya "to record classic Latin American songs on Decca label late in September."

EAyllon on Tour in USA: Wisconsin's Capital Times interviews Eva Ayllón "a full-fledged diva in her native Peru ... embarking on a major North American tour in support of her new release,"Eva! Leyenda Peruana," including a stop at the Madison World Music Festival at the University of Wisconsin" on Friday. Her album was released last week. You can review her tour schedule on her official website.

Minister Rodriguez in Korea: The Korea Herald and the Korea Times notes the presence of Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros at a United Nations human rights seminar opened at South Korea’s foreign ministry.

Mining Bits: The UK's Socialist Worker notes the water dispute in Peru in an editorial against Newmont Mining. The Metal Bulletin reports that Southern Peru Copper Corp. "confirms strike ends at two Peruvian copper mines."

Loan Ratios Better: Dow Jones reports that Peru's past-due bank loan ratio "may end the year at 4.7% as the nation's banking system recovers. That would be the lowest rate in the last 20 years, " according to Juan Jose Marthans, the government's superintendent of banking and insurance, in El Comercio. ALSO: "The banking system is starting to reflect in a very clear manner the reactivation process, which reinforces the possibility that the economy will keep growing," he was quoted as saying. NOTE: "Marthans was quoted as saying in newspaper Gestion that deposits could reach $ 13.9 billion by the end of the year, which would be a record high."

Market Spreads: Reuters reports that "emerging market spreads narrowed on Tuesday in light activity supported by positive economic and political news from Ecuador and Peru," according to analysts. The article notes the Datum poll which shows "President Alejandro Toledo's popularity rose to 15% from 11% due to growing confidence in the economy." NOTE: "President Toledo has more popular support which will help him obtain more political backing," said Vitali Meschoulam, Latin America strategist at HSBC in New York.

Falabella Expands: NamNews reports that "Chile-based retailer Falabella plans to open a new hypermarket of its Tottus chain in Lima in November or December 2004," according to the company. NOTE: "The new facility will be part of a retail complex where the first Falabella's home improvement store Sodimac will also be located. San Miguel's Tottus will be Falabella's third in the country. At present, Falabella has a 3.4% market share in Peru and aims at raising it through projects in Lima's San Juan de Lurigancho and Atocongo."

Dance Debut: The San Francisco Bay Guardian reviews the "distinguished debut" of the Peruvian Dance Company at the 'Ethnic Dance Festival' under the direction of dancer-choreographer-ethnologist Luis Valverde, performing "dances that reflect Christian and African influences, colonial and indigenous customs." The company will be performing at the ODC Theatre this Friday and Saturday. See here for more information.

Texas Bar In Iquitos: The Daily Texan (the newspaper of the University of Texas, Austin) reports on a bar/restaurant, The Yellow Rose of Texas, located in Iquitos whose propreitor is Louisiana-born and Texas-raised Gerald Mayeaux. NOTE: "Quoted as a must-see in every major Peru guidebook, including "The Lonely Planet," The Yellow Rose of Texas follows a specific program geared by its proud owner." ALSO: "He was also the first and only North American tourism director in Peru, serving as the director of tourism for the Loreto department from 1998 to 2002."

More Juche: The (North) Korean Central News Agency reports that "a Peruvian national symposium on the Juche idea covering the social, cultural, economic and geopolitical fields of the DPRK was held at Federico Villareal National University on Sept. 6. At the symposium speeches were made under the titles "President Kim Il Sung and the History of the DPRK", "World-historic Significance of the Foundation of the DPRK", "Anti-Japanese War Hero Comrade Kim Jong Suk and Women's Role in Building a New Society." NOTE: "Thanks to the unique Songun politics and wise leadership of Kim Jong Il, the DPRK is eloquently displaying its invincible might despite the unfavorable international political situation and grim difficulties hitherto unknown."