Saturday, October 02, 2004
UPDATED: IMF in Peru; Las Bambas; and Andean Global Warming
Print Today's Peruvia Here
Al Qaeda in Peru or Not? The BBC, Miami Herald, Reuters, the Washington Post (using Reuters) report on Peru and the United States intercepting "a criminal network with possible al Qaeda links that smuggled Arabs into America after getting them false papers in Lima," according to Interior Minister Javier Reategui. Reuters quotes Minister of the Interior Javier Reategui saying that "This is an international mafia. The most dangerous thing is that some of them could be linked to al Qaeda." Reuters reports that "after eight months of investigations in the United States and Peru, authorities detained three U.S.-naturalized Iraqis in Detroit and one Jordanian in Lima on Sept. 7, and another four Jordanians in Lima on Sept. 23." NOTE: "A U.S. official in Lima who declined to be named said: "There is no evidence to show these guys are linked to al Qaeda, but it's worrisome that an operation like this could have existed." CITED: Ken Katzman, a terrorism expert with the USA Congressional Research Service, when asked specifically about Peru, said, "Al Qaeda is always looking for new routes. It's plausible." However, the BBC quoted Peru's immigration director Diogenes Diaz told Canal N television in Lima there was "no evidence" to suggest those involved were linked to al-Qaeda. NAMED: Ismael Asaifini Tha'Er Omran, 34, arrived in June in Peru, where he allegedly helped clients from the Middle East enter the US. The BBC also reports that around 200 people were smuggled from the Middle East into the USA via Peru. In Spanish: El Comercio offers a short synopsis, largely based on Reuters, but adds that smugglers used houses in Jirón San Martín (Miraflores) and another in Pasaje Cayra (San Luis).
Qosqo Not Cajamarca: The New York Times offers a correction from their art review last weekend on ‘The Colonial Andes: Tapestries and Silverwork, 1530-1830,’ at the Metropolitan Museum, which "misstated the site of the capture of the Inca king Atahualpa in 1532 by the Spanish explorer Pizarro. It was Cajamarca, Peru; Pizarro did not reach Cuzco until 1533." See Also: ‘Art in NYork’ in September 24’s Peruvia.
IMF Check-Up on Peru: The International Monetary Fund announced in a press release and Reuters reported on an IMF mission which "visited Lima during the last two weeks for discussions in the context of the first review under Peru's 26-month Stand-By Arrangement." NOTE: "The mission welcomed the favorable performance of the Peruvian economy in 2004 ... [and] commended the authorities for their continued commitment to fiscal consolidation. Also, it stressed the importance of implementing the programmed structural and institutional reforms to boost sustainable output and employment growth over the medium term." Reuters stated that "Peru's economy has been one of the fastest growing in Latin America since 2002." ALSO: "The IMF said it expected Peru to control inflation despite rising prices due to high world oil prices and said it supported government plans to reduce the fiscal deficit to 1% of gross domestic product next year." See Also: The staff report to the Executive Board; and ‘IMF To Peru – US$422 Million’ in June 10’s Peruvia.
Macro Econ Numbers: Reuters reports that "Peru's consumer price index edged up 0.02% in September, the second month in a row that inflation was virtually flat, but the National Statistics Institute (INEI) said inflation in the first nine months was higher than it had been for three years." NOTE: For full inflation details, see the latest INEI report.
Las Bambas Officially Sold, cont.: BNAmericas and Dow Jones report that "Peru and Swiss-based miner Xstrata PLC "inked the concession contract for the Las Bambas copper deposit, while the government started a campaign to short-circuit any opposition to the mining project." (This was the lead story in this morning’s El Comercio.) NOTE: "In August Peru's privatization agency awarded Xstrata the concession after it bid $121 million, about three times the base price." CITED: President Alejandro Toledo held a press conference on-site in Apurimac and declared, "Nothing will stop the people's desire to lift themselves out of poverty, especially not any foreign fly-by-night ideologies." ALSO: "Government television station, TNP, showed crowds of local residents waving flags and holding up signs supporting the project. Touted as one of the nation's most promising mining prospects, the government is working feverishly to avoid any community backlash that would derail what could become a multibillion dollar project." The government and Oxfam America published competing newpapers advertiements on La Bambas. See Also: ‘Las Bambas Officially Sold’ in September 30’s Peruvia.
Newmont Gives Up, cont.: Dow Jones reports that the Newmont Mining Corp. "gave up its lengthy battle to keep litigation over a mercury spill in Peru out of the U.S. courts." NOTE: "The lawsuit, filed in 2001, stems from a mercury spill in three villages situated along a 25-mile stretch of road near Newmont's Yanacocha gold district in northern Peru. A truck contracted by Newmont was hauling mercury, a byproduct of Newmont's cyanide-based ore processing, to Lima, where it was sold for use in medical instruments. The truck spill initially sent as many as 100 villagers to seek emergency medical treatment." NOTE: Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack, the Los Angeles-based firm representing the villagers, has noted their involvement on the case on their web site with accompanying photographs. They write, "It seems a simple question of jurisdiction until you scratch the surface and find a tale of intrigue leading from Peru to the White House and featuring foreign governments, intelligence agencies and international tycoons." See Also: ‘Newmont Gives Up’ in yesterday’s Peruvia.
Andean Global Warming: The Washington File reports on a speech by World Bank President James Wolfensohn who stated that, "Improving the environment and establishing more connections with civil society and the business sector have become increasingly important to the World Bank during the past 10 years." NOTE: "Wolfensohn said that in focusing on environmental issues, ‘we must have a planet we can live in’ or other development efforts are ‘useless.’ He related an exchange he had the previous week with an indigenous Peruvian farmer about global warming. The conversation was during a bank forum on development efforts targeting indigenous peoples held in conjunction with the Washington opening of the National Museum of the American Indian. The man, who lives near the ancient site Machu Picchu, noted how environmental changes are affecting his community's livelihood. ‘The mountains are sad because the glaciers that made them smile are no longer there,’ Wolfensohn recounted the man saying. Melt-off from glaciers had provided water for the area's farmer's cattle. Without that water, cattle herds were diminishing, and farmers were being forced to leave their land, Wolfensohn said. See Also: ‘Peru is Melting’ in August 6’s Peruvia.
LDibos, USA Citizen, cont.: The LPGA announced in a press release that Alicia Dibos, a native of Peru who joined the LPGA Tour in 1993, earned U.S. citizenship on Sept. 17 at a courthouse in Bridgeport, Conn. Dibos has recorded 14 top-10 finishes in her LPGA career, including a tie for second after a sudden-death playoff at the 1994 Children's Medical Center Classic." See Also: 'LDibos, USA Citizen' in September 29’s Peruvia.
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Friday, October 01, 2004
Toledo Keeps Ad Hoc Prosecutors: The Miami Herald reports that "President Alejandro Toledo's government has extended the life of a special prosecutors' office that is investigating graft, ending speculation that it would eliminate the office after the prosecutors turned their sights on Toledo's administration," according to Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero. (The New York Times (last item), which pushed the story earlier in the week, includes a short followup and includes a December 31 cut off date for the prosecutor.) Toledo’s government "decided to prolong the contracts of three assistant prosecutors, 18 lawyers and their support staff to continue investigating corruption during the overnment of former President Alberto Fujimori, from 1990 to 2000." CITED: Assistant Special Prosecutor Ronald Gamarra Herrera and head prosecutor Luis Vargas Valdivia. NOTE: In addition to these troubles, "In the past two weeks, the president has lost two of the founders of his political party, Congressman Luis Solari de la Fuente and Rogelio Canchez Guzmán, president of the Callao region." Solari has been Toledo’s Prime Minister and Canchez, "who is from Toledo's hometown, is the only member of Toledo's Perú Possible to win one of 25 regional presidencies for the party in elections two years ago. Perú Possible has lost 11 lawmakers since 2001." See Also: ‘Ad Prosecutors To Close?’ in September 27’s Peruvia.
Toledo’s Brother Can’t Leave Peru: The Associated Press offers a stand-alone, (and the Miami Herald includes), story on Judge Saul Pena, "an anti-corruption judge, has ordered President Alejandro Toledo's younger brother, Pedro Toledo, to stay in the country while prosecutors investigate allegations he used his family name to win a lucrative telephone concession," according to the Attorney General's office. NOTE: "In July the Telecommunications Ministry suspended a 20-year telephone concession in Lima after it was awarded to Telecomunicaciones Hemisfericas, a virtually unknown company, which reportedly listed only S/. 5,000 soles of capital on its application, while the law required a minimum of S/. 6.12 million."
USA May Extradite Colina Member: The Washington Post reports that Wilmer Yarleque Ordinola, an alleged member of the Vladimiro Montesino’s Colina group, who last year was arrested while working on a construction site in the Washington DC area, may be extradited to Peru. The 44-year-old construction worker has been "found guilty of immigration fraud in Alexandria is wanted in Peru in connection with at least 26 killings," according to the USA’s attorney's office in Alexandria. He is charged with "aggravated homicide, aggravated kidnapping and forced disappearance ... and in the killings of college students, a radio personality and an 8-year-old boy." CITED: Rodolfo Pereira, (press counselor for Peru's embassy in Washington); Allan Doody (special agent in charge of the ICE Washington field office); and Michael Lieberman (Ordinola's attorney). See Also: Yarleque’s arrest was cited in this February 2004 report on human rights by the USA State Department.
Free Trade?, cont.: Reuters reports that "Ecuador conceded on Thursday that long-running legal disputes could keep it from sealing a free-trade deal with the United States, although Peru, facing similar issues, insisted they would not derail its negotiations." USA Dep. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier declared that, "both South American nations could be dropped from a proposed Andean trade agreement, and Washington would go ahead with Colombia alone, if legal problems involving millions of dollars in back taxes were not resolved." (The USA State Department’s Washington File offers the complete text of Allgeier’s September 29 speech to the Colombia Investor Conference). NOTE: "Allgeier said that while there is "much unrealized potential for U.S. exports to the region," the benefits of the U.S.-Andean FTA will extend beyond bolstering already significant economic ties between Andean nations and the United States." CITED by Reuters: Minister of Foreign Relations Manuel Rodriguez said, "I think we're going to resolve these issues and have a clean slate for the free trade agreement to be approved in the U.S. Congress." Jose Chlimper (President of Peru's foreign trade society) who declared that "from the U.S. they're pushing us, but in the end, we both have greater interests at stake" and noted that the ATPDEA deals was reached despite the problems. ALSO: "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce this year estimated the total value of the string of disputes between U.S. companies and Lima at more than $300 million." See Also: ‘Free Trade?’ in yesterday’s Peruvia.
APRA Welcomes China's Leader: Xinhua Net reports that among other foreign leaders, Mauricio Mulder Bedoya, General Secretary of the Partido Aprista Del Peru sent congratulatory messages to Hu Jintao "for taking over the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China."
Buses Kill: Reuters offers a review of "alarmingly frequent bus crashes in Peru. "More than 100 people were killed in bus crashes in July and August, including at least one foreign tourist," according to police. "In Lima alone, 715 people died in bus crashes between January and August this year, 6% more than in the same period last year." NOTE: "The main victims are poor Peruvians, but travelers from Europe and the United States have also been injured in crashes this year, something that does not aid Peru's tourist industry, a key foreign exchange earner for the economy." CITED: Patrick Allemant (director of motor traffic, Ministry of Transportation and Communication); Joaquin Ormeno (Ormeno bus company); Gen. Cesar Marallano (head of Lima's transit police).
Israeli Killed, cont.: Ha’aretz (second item) reports that "the body of Mordechai Nir of Rehovot, who was killed during an armed robbery in Peru on Tuesday, will arrive in Israel today. The Israeli embassy in Lima persuaded Peru's chief prosecutor not to perform an autopsy, although local law requires it." ALSO: "The other three Israelis wounded, whose condition is improving, will remain in hospital for a few more days. Peruvian police told the embassy they view the incident as serious, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators." NOTE: "Peru's government fears the robbery will harm its image and deter tourists from visiting the country." See Also: ‘Israeli Killed’ in September 29’s Peruvia.
Newmont Gives Up, Cont.: The Associated Press follows up on yesterday’s Denver Post and reports that the Newmont Mining Corporation "is dropping an effort to keep an international legal battle over a mercury spill out of USA courts. The move avoids a deeper look into accusations that the Denver-based company fixed a 1998 Peruvian court decision that gave it control of a huge South American gold mine." NOTE: "For a time, the company's attorneys argued that the lawsuit be heard in Peru. But attorneys for the villagers say Peru's judicial system is corrupt and Newmont has a history of influencing court cases." See Also: ‘Newmont Gives Up’ in yesterday’s Peruvia.
Koreans Buy into Chariot: Reuters and a Chariot Resources press release report that South Korea's LG Nikko Copper Inc. and state-run Korea Resources Corporation "have struck a $281 million Peruvian mining deal with Canada's Chariot Resources, securing copper supplies for South Korea from 2008." ALSO: "KORES said the three companies would sign a contract in Canada later on Friday that seals a tentative deal agreed in June to develop the Marcona project near the coast of southern Peru. Chariot would own 70%, while KORES and LG would take 15% each." NOTE: "Chariot said in August it had agreed to buy the Marcona site from Rio Tinto Plc and Chinese-owned iron miner Shougang Hierro Peru S.A." See Also: ‘More Mining’ in September 23’s Peruvia.
Gitennes’s Gold/Silver: Gitennes Exploration announced in a press release that "drilling at the Urumalqui project in north-central Peru is under way and should continue for the next five to eight weeks. Three holes of an anticipated 24-hole program are complete. This is the second year of drilling at the project where volcanic-hosted, epithermal gold-silver veins occur within broad zones of potentially bulk-minable low-grade gold mineralization."
EAyllón on USA Tour: The Washington Post reviews Eva Ayllon’s new ‘Eva! Leyenda Peruana’ CD. NOTE: "Her voice is an instrument of enchantment, sensuous and soulful, and her repertoire, colored by native rhythms as well African and Spanish influences, is seductive in its own right, insinuating and invigorating by turns." She preforms at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington DC tomorrow. See Also: ‘EAyllón on USA Tour’ in September 21’s Peruvia and her tour schedule on her web site.
SMulanovich Set to Win: The Australian, Surfers Village, and the Sydney Morning Herald all report on this weekend's Rip Curl Malibu Pro world surfing event in California where "Peru's Sofia Mulanovich closes in on a record fourth consecutive tour victory." Mulanovich is currently ranked first on 3960 points. NOTE: "Victory for Mulanovich would make her the first female surfer to win four consecutive events in 26 years of pro surfing." Mulanovich tells the SMH that she is "enjoying surfing so much, taking every heat and surfing every wave as if I was free surfing." Mulanovich says to Surfers Village, "I'm not thinking about the world title or the records at all." NOTE: "After this event in Malibu, a new stop on the tour, the championship concludes with two competitions in Hawaii - at Haleiwa and Honolua Bay." See Also: ‘Sofia #1’ in June 8’s Peruvia.
SPORTS:
- US Sailing reports on Rafael Neumann’s participation in the 2004 Citibank J/24 World Championships on Long Island Sound. Sailor Neumann was third overall.
- College Sports reports on he University of Miami women’s volleyball team who are led by senior rightside hitter Valeria Tipiana, the Lima, Peru native "who is seventh in the ACC in hitting percentage (.342) and fifth in kills per game (165/4.85pg)."
Aveda Saves Peru’s Forests: The re-vamped Fast Company magazine has an article on Aveda, the high-end organic-cosmetics brand, and its founder, Horst Rechelbacher, who believed, ‘By changing the world of hairdressing, we could change the world.’ NOTE: Today, "there are rain forests still standing in Peru that probably would not be if not for Aveda," says Glenn Prickett (Center for Environmental Leadership in Business). See Also: This note on from Aveda’s website that states, "In partnership with Conservation International (CI), a nonprofit environmental organization, we are helping local communities in the Madre de Dios territory develop environmentally friendly businesses that encourage the conservation of their natural resources."
More On Zalia: The Dallas/Fort Worth’s NBC channel reports interviews Mónica Ramírez about her new makeup company, Zalia Cosmetics and how "Latinas' skin tones come in various shades. Before she took matters into her own hands, she also knew all too well that makeup products for Latinas typically came in one shade: wrong." NOTE: Ramírez, a Peruvian-American, says, "Latinas have a more yellow and olive undertone, and most of the mainstream cosmetics had a pink tone to them." See Also: ‘Business Venture’ in August 18’s Peruvia.
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Thursday, September 30, 2004
Newmont Gives Up: The Denver Post reports that Newmont “has abruptly given up its three-year effort to keep a legal battle over a mercury spill out of U.S. courts. The move avoids a lengthy discovery process over the venue that would have delved deeply into accusations that Newmont fixed a 1998 Peruvian supreme court decision that gave the company control of Latin America's largest gold mine.” NOTE: “Denver District Court Judge Herbert Stern approved a motion Wednesday by Newmont that would allow the case to proceed here, rather than in Peru. Attorneys for Newmont and the plaintiffs - 1,100 Peruvians who claim they were harmed in a massive June 2000 spill - are in mediated discussions to settle the dispute out of court.” CITED: Doug Hock (Newmont spokesman). ALSO: “Former Newmont vice president Larry Kurlander was caught on a 1998 recording soliciting the help of the notorious Peruvian spymaster Vladimiro Montesinos in swaying the final supreme court vote. According to the discovery motion filed Sept. 17, plaintiffs sought to track the fate of about $9 million that Newmont deposited in the account of its Peruvian lawyer in 1998 and part of which they suggest may have ended up in Montesinos' pocket. NOTE: The law firm representing the villagers is Los Angeles-based Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack.
Free Trade? Reuters reports that “the United States is prepared to drop Ecuador and Peru from a proposed U.S. free- trade pact with the Andean region if investment disputes with those countries threaten a deal with Colombia,” according to Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier. Allgeier said “in a speech in New York monitored in an audio feed on the Colombian Embassy's Web site, “we will not endanger a free-trade package with Colombia by having countries attached to it that are going to detract from congressional approval rather than add to it.” NOTE: “There needs to be a lot more progress in both of those countries for us to be in a position that we in confidence can put forward a free-trade agreement with those countries through the Congress,” Allgeier said. ALSO: “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce earlier this year estimated the total value of disputes between U.S. companies and the government of Peru at over $300 million. In one case dating back to the late 1990s, New Jersey-based metals and specialty chemicals company Engelhard Corp. says it is owed $30 million in tax refunds by the cash-strapped government in Lima.” See Also: Other USA companies cited in 'Free Trade II' in March 18's Peruvia.
Sendero in SUTEP? The BBC reports that “police in Peru have captured 17 members of the left-wing Shining Path and MRTA rebel groups,” according to the Minister of the Interior Javier Reategui. NOTE: “Reategui told Peru's CPN radio that some of those arrested were members of the country's leading teachers' union, the left-leaning Single Union of Education Workers.”
Economic Growth: Reuters reports that “Peru's export boom could earn a record $12 billion in 2004 if foreign sales keep up the current growth rate, above a $11.4 billion target and in line with forecasts for 2005,” according to Jose Gonzalez, head of Prompex. Said Gonzalez, “Peru's exports have surged 32.2% to $7.63 billion between January and August, compared with the same period last year.” NOTE: “ ‘Made in Peru’ is becoming a common sight abroad on textiles, machinery, furniture and craft goods, notably in the country's big trading partners, the United States and China. Peru is also a major exporter of metals such as copper, zinc and gold and is the world's biggest exporter of fresh asparagus.” ALSO: “Peru has long been a coffee and metals exporter, but a $150 million investment in garment factories this year helped make textiles a major export.”
Deaths in Cold: The BBC reports on the aftermath of the “unseasonably cold weather which battered the southern Andes” earlier this year. NOTE: “Thousands of children caught respiratory diseases. Without warm clothes, food and medicine, dozens died. Some families lost one third of their flocks of alpaca and llama, which provide the only means of survival for many who exchange their wool and meat for food that does not grow at altitudes of nearly 15,000 feet.” CITED: Horacio Araujo Rozas (Director Regional de Defensa Civil in Arequipa); Yamina Himeur (Oxfam’s regional director); the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office; Selinda Calizaya Tito (Mother's Club in Lloque). [The BBC mispells Araujo's name as 'Araujao'.] See Also: ‘More Deaths in Cold’ in July 20’s Peruvia.
Newmont’s Defense, cont.: Reuters reports on Roque Benavides, CEO of Buenaventura, speaking at the gold conference in Denver who said about the recent blockade by farmers at Yanacocha, “I believe that the problem at Cerro Quilish could have been avoided. I think we ought to work on solving the misconceptions and the lack of dialogue. I believe Cerro Quilish should not be taken as a trend.” ALSO: Benavides also stated that, “It is not good to blame it on third parties. The company has to face the problem. We have to discuss further with the local community and farmers and try to reach an agreement and show that we do care.” See Also: There were mixed messages coming from Newmont's CEO in 'Newmont's Defense' in yesterday's Peruvia.
Las Bambas Officially Sold: Dow Jones reports that “the plan to develop the Las Bambas copper deposit has the support of local residents, playing down reports of community unrest,” according to Minister of Energy and Mines Jaime Quijandria in an interview on CPN radio. NOTE: “Peru recently awarded the concession for the Las Bambas project to Swiss-based Xstrata PLC for $121 million.” NOTE: “However, some local residents in the poverty-stricken Apurimac department have expressed concerns about the concession contract for the project, which could require an investment of up to $2.0 billion.” ALSO: “On Wednesday the government also published a supreme decree, signed by President Alejandro Toledo and two cabinet ministers, giving Xstrata Peru SA the full guarantee of the state for terms of the Las Bambas contract.” See Also: ‘Las Bambas Price’ in September 1’s Peruvia.
Milpo Purchase?: Dow Jones and the Mining Journal report on the “surprise takeover bid for base metals miner Compania Minera Milpo." NOTE: “Milpo, which hasn't publicly commented on the offer so far, produces mainly zinc, but also lead and copper. The main shareholders are said to be a small number of Peruvian families, as well as some investment funds, including private pension funds.” CITED: Luis Bravo (Centura SAB); Emilio Fandino (Penoles investor relations); and Juan Miguel Pflucker (Banco de Credito). See Also: 'Mining' in yesterday's Peruvia.
Gold-Silver Project: Southwestern Resources Corp announces in a press release the developments with Newmont Peru “on the Liam Gold-Silver Project located in the southern Tertiary Volcanic Belt in Peru. A first phase orientation drilling program at Cerro Queshca by Newmont Peru, as operator of the Liam Core Project, returned an intersection in hole QS-010 of 24.55 metres grading 6.0 grams per tonne gold and 67.6 grams per tonne silver.”
Endesa & Camisea’s Light: Reuters reports that Spanish electric utility Endesa “brought on line a converted 300 megawatt plant in Peru on Wednesday, part of $1.6 billion in investments to upgrade power plants there over the past 10 years. The plant at Ventanilla, north of Lima, was converted to gas from petroleum for $15 million and will operate a single-cycle turbine until 2006, when it will be upgraded to a 380 MW, combined-cycle plant for a total cost of $100 million,” according to Endesa. NOTE: “The Ventanilla plant, due to become the first combined-cycle plant in Peru, will be fuelled by the massive Camisea gas field.”
The Peanut in Peru’s History: The Miami Herald’s food columnist says that “I didn't fully understand the enormous importance of the peanut as a food staple in the Americas until I saw a magnificent Moche necklace made of peanut-shaped gold and silver beads at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The piece was in an exhibit of the Lord of Sipán's burial treasure, a find that revolutionized our understanding of the Moche, a pre-Inca civilization that flourished between 100 and 700 A.D. along the northern coast of Peru.” ALSO: “That a skillful Moche goldsmith used the humble peanut as a model for a stunning gold and silver necklace is surprising. That a powerful Moche lord deemed it worthy of his elaborate burial attire is even more so.”
Cienciano’s Secret: Reuters reports on football coach Freddy Ternero “who turned Peru's Cienciano from provincial nobodies into international sensations, had his players do just that to learn the power of positive thinking. It paid off. A week later, on September 7, Cienciano beat Argentina's mighty Boca Juniors on penalties to win the South American Recopa, to add to last year's Copa Sudamericana trophy.” NOTE: “Even Peru's government, which admits it has a public relations problem, is courting Cienciano: the club have filmed an advertisement to promote respect for the national police.” See Also: ‘Cienciano’s Defeat’ in yesterday’s Peruvia.
Prison Beauty Contest: The Associated Press in Louisiana’s Daily Comet reports on the 10th annual beauty contest at Santa Monica Women's Prison in Chorrillos. This year's winner was “Lee Hefegtz, a 20-year-old blonde Israeli awaiting sentence on drug trafficking charges." NOTE: “Belying a ‘drug mule’ moniker used to refer to their crimes, Hefegtz and the other contestants were judged not only on their looks, but also on artistic ability, personality and poise strutting before the cameras.” CITED: Maritza Otiniano Martínez, spokesperson for the Instituto Nacional Penitenciario stated that, “the objective is to promote re-socialization among the inmates and create space for recreation and companionship to help them raise self-esteem and get rid of stress.”
Presidential Advice: The Miami Herald's Andres Oppenheimer offers some advice to USA President Bush in tonight's first presidential debate: “if you are accused of having strained U.S. ties with the rest of the world, don't use that line suggesting that U.S.-Latin American relations have improved during your term. It may backfire, Mr. President.” NOTE: New polling figures scheduled to be released at The Herald's Conference of the Americas, which starts today, will show that most Latin Americas believe their countries' ties with the United States have gone downhill in recent years.”
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Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Incident in Koricancha: The Agence France Press, Associated Press, the BBC, the New York Times, Reuters, and Xinhua Net all report on the 17 to 20 European tourists who were briefly held (several news sources use ‘taken hostage’) by coca farmers (and possibly students) at the Koricancha site in Cuzco who in turn, "demanded to meet with government officials to press for an end to American-financed drug-eradication efforts." The affair took place over an hour and was over by early afternoon although details varied throughout the day. The most cursory reports are the Miami Herald (using the AP), the New York Times (second item, by Juan Forero) and Xinhua Net. The Herald counts 19 hostages; the Times says it was 20 tourists but offers no further details. Agence France Press’ last report cites 17 French and two German tourists and reports that "300 farmers supported by university students burst in and took them hostage. Some 50 riot police then stormed the site, hurling tear gas canisters and swinging clubs to evict the protesters." AFP also notes that "the protesters wanted President Alejandro Toledo to fulfill his promise of buying the coca leaf harvest in the southern Andean provice of La Convencion. The area has been paralyzed by a farmer strike that began eight days ago." The Associated Press uses a story on Radioprogramas radio for counting the 17 French and two Germans, and notes that "some 70 protesters were detained." They cite "about 100 coca growers surrounded the travelers, refusing to move for about an hour until police used tear gas to disperse them." An early Reuters report had the incident occur shortly after noon yesterday; a Reuters story 10 minutes later had special forces freeing the hostages. For a short while, there was a Reuters story that claimed that "PromPeru said 15 French tourists and five Japanese nationals were released from inside the Koricancha complex. There were no German hostages among the group, as had been reported earlier." At the end of the day, Reuters reported that Peruvian special forces freed 17 foreign tourists but there was still confusion as to their national identities. Reuters quotes police spokesman Ricardo Vargas saying that "Special agents got the 17 tourists out with no injuries. They used tear gas to free them. ... There were 70 militant coca growers but only 7 were detained because the others escaped when the gas was let off. The temple is now closed and police are guarding it," Vargas added. The story also quoted a coca leader on RPP radio declaring that, "We are stepping up our protests. The government must listen to us to solve this problem once and for all."
Israeli Killed: Arutz Sheva, Ha’aretz, the Jerusalem Post, and VOA News all report that an Israeli, Mordechai Nir, was killed and three more were injured “when the group of travelers was ambushed and shot by bandits while hiking in Peru. (VOA also includes the ‘Koricancha Incident’.) The travelers were evacuated Tuesday afternoon by a helicopter dispatched by the Israeli Foreign Ministry and were brought to Lima, many hours after the attack. NOTE: “The four travelers, three young men and one woman, were attacked late Monday night while hiking in the Juarez [sic, Huaraz].” CITED: Uri Noy, Israel's ambassador to Peru. ALSO: “One of the groups was equipped with a satellite telephone, which it used to call authorities in the village of Hatkambo, from where the tourists began their trek.” NOTE: “The body of the dead Israeli has yet to be flown home due to difficulty in finding a flight. Peruvian law mandates that an autopsy be performed on the body when involved in a criminal case, however Israel does not agree, asking that the autopsy be done in Israel.”
LBerenson on Newmont's Mining: Counter Punch offers an editorial by Lori Berenson from the Establecimiento Penal de Huacariz in Cajamarca focused largely on Newmont/Yanacocha’s mining near her prison cell. She refers to the recent protests and states that “the clearest signal that ‘something is wrong’ is the annual statistical report on poverty that shows how Cajamarca has moved from fourth to second place in the rankings by department, a poverty level which has increased during the years in which Latin America´s number one gold producer has been functioning here.” ALSO: “My solidarity is with the peasant communities and all of those who initiated [these protests]. I am convinced that many more of us will continue to join hands to promote life and true justice and oppose the destruction of the livelihood of a people, their water sources, and their future, in Cajamarca and elsewhere.”
Newmont’s Defense: The Denver Gold Conference is taking place and Dow Jones, Reuters, and MineWeb cover the conference. The Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post refer to but don’t report on Peru. Reuters gets an interview that Wayne Murdy, the CEO of Newmont Mining Corp. who “defended the environmental record of the world's largest gold producer." NOTE: “The Denver-based company also negotiated earlier this month with authorities in northern Peru to end a blockade of a Newmont-owned mine by local farmers who accused it of causing pollution to drinking water Denver Gold Forum's conference on Tuesday. Dow Jones reveals writes about a conciliatory Murdy who specifically said Newmont’s “situation in Indonesia is ‘very different’ from the company's problems in Peru, where residents had blocked the road to its Yanacocha gold mining operations. Murdy said the Peruvians had ‘legitimate’ concerns about what Newmont's operations might do to their water supplies. … About 10,000 villagers began their blockade of the Yanacocha mine's access road on Sept. 2 after Newmont began exploratory drilling on the Cerro Quilish gold deposit. ‘We got more reaction than we expected,’ Murdy admitted. ‘Fortunately no one was seriously injured.’ He said Newmont must now work to convince the residents there that its mining operations won't hurt their water supplies. MineWeb says that Murdy “lashed out at the company's detractors during a presentation” and said that Newmont had been the victim of a “very organized campaign to attack us.” However, he admitted that Newmont made “some misjudgment as to how fast we could move" in the exploration and development of the Cerro Quilish deposit.”
LBozzo Again: The Los Angeles Times offers yet another profile of Laura Bozzo, with her “skin-tight jeans and brassy one-liners … 3-inch pumps and a nicotine-coarsened, machine-gun mezzo-soprano that makes you sound like a Spanish-speaking Lauren Bacall after one too many double espressos.” NOTE: “Her 6-year-old ‘Laura in America,’ a Jerry Springer-like talk show in which long-suffering women and mostly unsavory men act out real-life mini morality plays, is the top-rated program on Telemundo, where it airs twice a day, five days a week. … The network and its corporate parent, General Electric, recently completed a $2.5-million upgrade of [her] studio.” CITED: Executive producer Miguel Ferro who says that “between 12% and 15% of the show's budget goes to provide psychological counseling, medical treatments, food stamps, educational scholarships and other assistance to people who appear on the show and their relatives.” Bozzo’s eldest daughter, Victoria, 22, a student at Pepperdine University declares that “When my mom went in television, the only people were, like, white people. She doesn't act like one, she doesn't behave like one. She goes around hugging every single person.” NOTE: “Bozzo has been studying English for nine months and hopes she'll soon be able to cross over into the Anglo-American entertainment universe.” See Also: 'LBozzo's Troubles' in September 26's Peruvia.
Retiring Shifts, cont.: BNAmericas reports that “approximately half of the 3.5 million private pension fund affiliates in Peru do not make regular contributions to their capital accounts,” according to José Antonio Velarde Benza, head of the AFP association. NOTE: Said Velarde, “This problem is based on several factors. The first is that many affiliates lose their jobs and are unemployed so they stop making pension payments. Also, in a large number of cases, companies collect pension payments from their employees but fail to make payments to their AFPs.” ALSO: “Peru's private pension system was set up in 1992 and is currently made up of four AFPs, which handle some US$6.4bn in assets.” See Also: 'Retiring Shifts' in September 24's Peruvia.
MINING:
- Reuters reports that Mexico's Industrias Penoles, the world's largest silver producer, said on “it was launching a bid for 51% of Peruvian zinc producer Compania Minera Milpo in a deal worth around $108 million. Penoles said in a statement it was offering $6.85 per share, worth up to $108 million in cash, expanding its activities in Peru, the world's no. 3 zinc producer.” CITED: Juan Miguel Pflucker (Credibolsa) who said the offer was a surprise and said, “This looks like a premium of 15 percent compared to its current market price.” According to the company: "To achieve greater growth at Milpo, Penoles plans to invest profits and capital, something that shows its confidence in mining in Peru.” Bloomberg inclded a note about the potential sale.
- Algerian Press Service reports that Energy and Mines Minister Chakib Khelil was asked about Sonatrach’s international activities and its participation to the Camisea deposit which started production on last June. The Minister pointed out that “Sonatrach is participating with a rate of 10% in the gas and condensate development deposit, and in the transportation by pipelines, a field in which the Algerian group holds 21.38% of shares. Through its presence in the Camisea upstream gas, Algeria can exert its option to export LNG towards Mexico and the USA West coastlines and seized the market opportunities both in the East and the West side of the world.” See Also: 'Algeria Wants in on Camisea' in September 21's Peruvia.
- BNAmericas and Dow Jones report that Phelps Dodge Corp.'s Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde said “the Peruvian government had approved the environmental impact study for a proposed expansion. The company said in a statement to the Peruvian securities agency that the Energy and Mines Ministry approved the study on Sept. 27.” CITED: Julia Torreblanca Marmanillo (Cerro Verde) said in a statement that they have “started a process of dialogue with local governments and community groups.” ALSO: “Canal N reported Tuesday that community groups were meeting in the Arequipa region in southern Peru to evaluate the company's proposal. A reporter for the television news channel said that there was some resistance to an expansion of the Cerro Verde project in the region.”
- Cambior Inc. announced in a press release that they “struck a $90 million financing deal to help pay for a recent acquisition in South America. Under an agreement announced Tuesday, underwriters will buy 24 million share and warrant units of the Montreal-area company for $3.75 each, raising $90 million. Cambior said the money will be used in part to help pay for the company's acquisition of a 55.3 per cent stake in Compania Minera Poderosa S.A., a Peruvian gold miner.”
Pirates Near Conchan, etc.: Maritime Global Net follows up on “a violent robbery involving a gunfight at Conchan and adds that “five armed robbers boarded a bulk carrier at berth and took hostage security guard on patrol and severely beat him. Shore security patrol personnel responded with an exchange of gunfire. The robbers stole ship's stores and escaped in a high speedboat. There were no injuries to crew.” See Also: 'Pirates Near Conchan' in September 28's Peruvia.
Cienciano Defeat: Reuters reports that Cienciano, the Copa Sudamericana champions, “were sent crashing to a 4-0 defeat away to Ecuador's Liga de Quito in their second round, first leg tie. Cienciano, who in winning last year became the first Peruvian club to win an international competition, were quickly in trouble.” NOTE: Liga is coached by Peru's 1978 World Cup forward Juan Carlos Oblitas.
Peruvian Thieves on Long Island: New York’s Hampton’s Independent reports that two men and two women, “all but one allegedly illegal aliens from Peru” are in custody today after they went on a crime spree at the Bridgehampton Commons and made off with $10,300 in merchandise from various stores. The Peruvians included Guillermo Guzman-Sanchez, 27, and Maria Gutuerrez, 28, of Queens and Josefina Burgos, 54 of Brooklyn. NOTE: “Detectives from the NYPD South American Intelligence Division and the Southampton Town Police stopped the thieves as they were leaving the grounds of the shopping center.”
ADibos, USA Citizen: The Golf Channel reports that “Alicia Dibos, a native of Peru who joined the LPGA Tour in 1993, earned U.S. citizenship on September 17 at a courthouse in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dibos said, “The LPGA gave me the opportunity to make a wonderful career in this country, and thanks to the LPGA, I am so proud to become a U.S. citizen.” ALSO: Since 2003, she is assistant pro at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. See Also: 'ADibos Tries Again' in July 3's Peruvia.
Food Prize in Oregon: Portland's Andina Restaurant was named a ‘Big Deal’ by Gourmet magazine's October 2004 restaurant issue which highlights hot restaurants in 30 U.S. cities divided in two categories, Big Deal and Good Deal. The magazine says that you can “discover the sophistication and spice of new (Novoandina) and traditional Peruvian fare” and even describes their sashimi-like tiraditos with a bold statement: “step aside, Nobu.” NOTE: “A rare Peruvian gem filled with folk art and weavings, this is unique on the West Coast.”
USA Record on Fujimori: Washington File reports on a talk given by John F. Maisto, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States, who declared that “good governance is key to strengthening democracy,” in his review of USA regional policy. NOTE: “Maisto noted that the United States vigorously pursues foreign assets that are determined to be the proceeds of corruption, and works with other governments to return these diverted assets. For instance, Maisto said, the United States has returned over $20 million in funds to the government of Peru, derived from corrupt acts during the administration of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori.”
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Tuesday, September 28, 2004
UPDATE: Pirates Near Conchan; Inca Pacific News; and Pricing Coffee
Print Today's Peruvia Here
Quijandria To Leave Cabinet: Reuters reports that Jaime Quijandria, the Minister of Energy and Mines, said on Monday "he was quitting the government for a two-year post on the board of the World Bank." He stated that, "The World Bank meets on October 3 to elect the new board. I have been proposed to occupy the seat that we hold together with Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia. I'll resign as soon as I am elected." NOTE: "Quijandria is one of the government's most senior ministers. He is currently on his second stint as energy and mines minister and has also been economy minister in an earlier Toledo cabinet. ALSO: Said Quijandria, "What's my function? To take care of the interests of the country regarding the $400 million we hope to receive from year to year ... to help make projects advance rapidly and also to take care of the interests of the other countries I represent."
Pirates Near Conchan: The International Maritime Bureau's weekly bulletin and Bloomberg (based on the IMB) report that "pirates took a ship's security guard hostage and beat him up in an attack off Peru yesterday" at "27.09.2004 at 0130 LT at Conchan, Peru." NOTE: "Five armed robbers boarded the bulk-carrier, a ship used to carry commodities such as coal and iron ore." The name and size of the ship weren't reported. The shore security patrol responded with an exchange of gunfire. The pirates escaped in a speedboat with stolen property from the ship."
Mining Law, cont.: Reuters reports that "Peru's government is taking steps to enforce a new law charging royalties to mining companies even though it is asking Congress to revise the way royalties are assessed under the measure," according Minister of Energy and Mines Jaime Quijandria who told a press conference, "We can't hold it up any longer. If the law is modified (later), we'll modify the ruling. (The royalty) would start to be charged from when the ruling comes out." NOTE: "Mining is the backbone of Peru's economy, which is on course for growth of up to 5% this year, and generates half the country's exports." ALSO: The minister also declared, "We're going to cross our fingers, touch wood. Let's hope that in the (Congress) debate at least they'll agree to clarify the subject. I don't know whether it will be related to prices in the end."
PetroTech Expands: Oil and Gas Journal reports that PetroTech Peruana SA "recently closed a third offshore exploration and exploitation contract with Perupetro, the state oil agency, for Block Z-33, in Peru's territorial waters off the Lima and Cañete provinces at depths of 400-1,200 ft. The company is committed to process and interpret 1,500 km of conventional seismic data, shoot 150 sq km of 3D seismic, and drill three exploratory wells." NOTE: "Perupetro estimates the company will invest $22 million in the new block."
Inca Miners: Inca Pacific announced in a press release "the results for holes PM-102 through PM-106, the sixth set of results from the 2004 diamond drill campaign. All holes were drilled in the Chavin zone of the Magistral deposit, near the northern limit of the planned open pit."
Team Peru Announced: Sky Sports reports that Peru coach "Paulo Autuori has "announced his overseas stars that will play in the country's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Paraguay." Peru's overseas squad players are: Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich), Roberto Palacios (Deportivo Cali), Miguel Rebosio (Almeria), Julio Garcia (Morelia), Jefferson Farfan (PSV Eindhoven), Andres Mendoza (Metallurg), Nolberto Solano (Aston Villa) and Santiago Acasiete (Almeria).
Bandits Strike: The Jerusalem Post reports that "four Israelis trekking in Peru were attacked by bandits while on a hike on Monday. The robbers shot and wounded the Israelis, but their medical condition remains unknown. A group of trekkers who passed by gave the Israelis basic medical treatment. The trekkers managed to contact the Israeli Foreign Ministry through a satellite phone. The ministry sent out a helicopter to the area to evacuate the wounded Israelis. ALSO: According to ‘Army Radio,’ "the four are expected to land in the capital Lima on Tuesday afternoon."
Proper Development: The Inter Press News Service offers a Latin American perspective of the Conference on European Development Cooperation in The Hague and states that Latin American development exports see "'no reason for optimism." Peruvian economist, Mariano Valderama said that "'We get big mission statements, but no reality. [This] was not just a problem of the European Commission, but also of cooperation programs by member states such as Germany." Valderama states that "'When I was in charge of the Peruvian ministry for Planning's department for development cooperation two years ago, I received the EU action proposition for 2000- 2006. The document I received started at page 46. When I asked where the first 45 pages were, I was told those included the country strategy paper, which was an internal document produced in Brussels. No Latin Americans had been involved.'" ALSO: Valderama suggested that, "In Peru, we have the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and the European Commission working on education. They all work in the same field, almost in the same areas, but each has its own style. A lot of effectiveness is therefore lost.'" See Also: ‘International Cooperation, Poverty, and Democracy’ and ‘The Tower of Babel: NGO’s, Foreign Aid, and Development’ both by Mariano Valderama.
PAHO Meets and Elects: The Pan American Health Organization announced in a press release the opening of their annual meeting "to analyze the health situation in the region and adopt key resolutions on important public health problems." NOTE: "The governing body of PAHO, is made up of all the health ministers, who meet annually to set health policies and receive new reports on the state of health in the Americas. This year, the Minister of Health of Nicaragua, Dr. José Antonio Alvarado, was elected President, the ministers of Cuba and Peru [Pilar Mazzetti Soler] were named vice presidents."
Pricing Coffee: Reuters offers a photograph of dry coffee beans from the Altomayo Valley to report that USA coffee drinkers "may soon have to swallow more expensive coffee as soaring futures and rising costs from milk to fuel induce roasters to charge more for the steamy brew, industry participants said." In Spanish: See Cafe Altamayo's website
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Monday, September 27, 2004
UPDATE: Protestants Double in Size
Print Today's Peruvia Here
Ad Hoc Prosectors to Close? The New York Times receives President Toledo’s return to Lima with an article on "a team of special prosecutors empowered to investigate corruption in Peru's former government may be dismantled in the coming days after it turned its inquiry toward the current administration." (Dow Jones also provides a summary of the New York Times story.) NOTE: The Times story is based on an interview with Luis Vargas Valdivia, head of the Ad Hoc Prosecutors unit, who said "that the government's long-lived ambivalence toward his group has turned to outright hostility since prosecutors recently began investigating charges of corruption against President Alejandro Toledo, his wife, a presidential aide, other relatives and the governing party as a whole." ALSO: "News media accounts question whether the unit will survive past the end of the month, when the contracts for 26 prosecutors, investigators and staff members expire. Mr. Vargas Valdivia's contract does not expire until Dec. 31, but the loss of his staff would leave the unit effectively moribund until new prosecutors are appointed." NOTE: "Vargas Valdivia's prosecutors have already won convictions of 58 defendants, among them a former armed forces chief, a Supreme Court judge and an attorney general. Though hundreds of others have been charged but not yet tried, judicial experts in Latin America consider the scope of the investigation unprecedented in a region where governments have struggled against endemic corruption." CITED: José Miguel Vivanco (Americas division of Human Rights Watch); former Minister of the Interior and now newspaper columnist Fernando Rospigliosi; and Mario Vargas Llosa who will "issue a petition calling for the president to keep the unit operating." NOTE: "Mr. Vargas Valdivia's prosecutors are now looking into allegations, provided to the magazine Caretas by a former presidential aide, César Almeyda, who is in jail awaiting trial on corruption charges, that Mr. Toledo took a bribe." The article suggests that the interview was done on Thursday.
Protestants Double in Size: ALC Noticias reports that Pastor Carlos Jara de Paz, president of the Concilio Nacional Evangélico del Perú (CONEP) noted that the Evangelical population in Peru has grown from 6.83% to 14% over the past decade." Jara is also national vice superintendent of the Assemblies of God. ALSO: "A proposal for political participation on the part of Evangelicals is also becoming more solid and there is an Evangelical presence in government sectors that were previously marked by little or no participation." NOTE: "As part of the process to modernize CONEP, the most recent national assembly named a commission to elaborate a proposal to reform the statutes, which includes lawyers Jose Regalado and Elias Medina and Pastors Rafael Goto Silva and Nelson Ayllon." In Spanish: See 'La ola evangélica' in Sept. 4, 2004's La Republica.
Econ Growth In Peru: The Miami Herald reports on the economic growth "throughout much of Latin America and the Caribbean, [which is] expected to post a 4.5% economic growth rate this year, the best performance in seven years, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean." NOTE: "Countries throughout the region -- led by Chile, Brazil and Peru -- get credit as well for encouraging investment and consumption by keeping the lid on spending and inflation to get their economic houses in order." CITED: Juan Pepper (Michell & Co.., Peru's biggest maker of alpaca sweaters and scarves); Jurgen Weller (ECLAC economist); Claudio Loser (Inter-American Dialogue); José Cerritelli (Bear Stearns) David Rothkopf (former Clinton administration); and Guillermo Ballesteros, an unemployed security guard in Lima who declared "'On TV, you see [Peruvian] President Toledo saying the situation is getting better, but it's a lie. I don't know where I could get a job."
Econ Growth To Peru: The Miami Herald reports from Lima on remittances from the USA to Latin America. Donald F. Terry (InterAmerican Development Bank) says that "about $38 billion was sent to Latin American and Caribbean countries in 2003 -- mostly from the United States -- and he expects the total to reach $45 billion in 2004." CITED: Manuel Orozco (Inter-American Dialogue); Carlos Mosquera (Peru-Express); Carlos Telias (Costamar Money Transfer in Florida); Pilar Meza and Victoria Meza (unrelated), women in Lima who receive remittances from abroad; and Regis Garcia Arzubialde (E. Wong). NOTE: "In one interesting innovation, Peruvians in the United States can buy gift certificates online at E. Wong, the country's largest supermarket chain, and a recipient in Peru can pick them up. Peruvians in the United States can also buy groceries online and have them delivered to a recipient's home." See Also: 'Changes in the Atmosphere? Increase in Remittances, Price Decline and New Challenges' and the accompanying graphs by Manuel Orozco.
Cerro Verde Gets Green Light: Dow Jones and Reuters reports that Peru will "approve an environmental impact study for Minera Cerro Verde that will allow the copper miner to build a $800 million concentrator," according to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Jaime Quijandria. In an update Reuters, Quijandria says that, "We will give authorization today ... the company will announce it tomorrow." NOTE: "The government raised 65 objections to Cerro Verde's first study and sent it back to the company for clarification. Environmental issues have sparked anti-mine protests in other parts of the country, where mining is the economic lifeblood." Dow Jones adds that the Minister spoke "during a meeting with the foreign press association." ALSO: "Peruvian precious metals miner Compania de Minas Buenaventura also has a stake in Cerro Verde." In Spanish: See the Environmental Impact Assessment.
Vena's Veins: Vena Resources announced in a press release "the commencement of a 1200 meter drill program on its Aucapampa gold-copper skarn deposit in Apurimac."
Newmont's Troubles: Reuters reports on a mining conference in Denver where "institutional shareholders who have watched Newmont Mining Corp. battle pollution accusations in South America ... will get a chance to demand answers." CITED: Michael Fowler (Desjardins Securities). NOTE: "Denver-based Newmont has made headlines around the world and its stock lost 5% in recent weeks as Peruvian farmers accusing it of polluting local water blocked access to its Yanacocha mine, its second biggest gold operation." Sierra Club announces in a press release to "voice for their support for residents of two small Indonesian villages that have filed charges against Newmont." ALSO: "This is not the first time charges have been brought against Newmont’s polluting activities. Earlier this year, residents of Choropampa, Peru filed a similar suit against Newmont."
Lan Flights: The Miami Herald (last item) gives Lan Airlines an advertisement with their "announced low introductory fares in connection with a recent increase in the frequency of its flights between Los Angeles/Miami/New York and Lima. NOTE: "For a limited time, Lan Peru is selling round-trip service from Miami to Lima for $363." Lan’s press release page doesn’t have this information.
Exel Exports: The American Journal of Transportation relates Exel’s press release that "Exel announced that its freight management office in Lima has received official certification from the Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition (BASC). Exel is one of the first freight forwarding organizations in Latin America to receive this important certification." This was cited ‘Exporting Legally’ in September 2’s Peruvia.
MVLl in Spain, cont.: Reuters has a photograph of Mario Vargas Llosa, president of the jury at San Sebastian's International Film Festival, presenting Iranian film director Bahman Ghobadi the 'Golden Shell' award, the top award for his latest film 'Turtles Can Fly.' See Also: ‘MVLl in Spain’ in September 16’s Peruvia.
Filming in Peru: The Detroit Free Press interviews Gael Garcia Bernal the Mexican star of ‘The Motorcycle Diaries,’ about Ernesto Guevara. "I'm young. I have that young person's tendency to speak out about what I think is wrong, and I try to stand up for what is right. The only actual thing I have in common with someone like Che is that I'm a citizen of the world. When I was making this movie in Peru, I saw that the economics, the hardships for these poor people, they're the same as they were when he was there. If we don't care about that, who are we? You don't say, 'That's the way it is,' or 'That's their own fault.' You do what you can."
SPORTS:
- Kentucky’s Courier-Journal reports that Rafael Bejarano won in yesterday's $100,000 Kentucky Cup Turf Dash Stakes at Kentucky Downs. NOTE: "Bejarano, who captured his first Churchill Downs riding title this spring and currently leads the nation in wins, won this race last year with Fredericktown." ALSO: "The win also was a record eighth for Bejarano during the first four days of the meet."
- The Thoroughbred Times reports that "Azucar and Etiqueta Negra, a pair of Peru’s top handicap horses, battled right down to the wire in a thrilling edition of the Clasico Asociacion de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera del Peru on Sunday at Lima’s Hipodromo Monterrico, but in the end Azucar was awarded the win after stewards discovered his rival's jockey had exhibited unsporting conduct during the race."
- The Associated Press and Reuters have photographs of Peru's Matias Silva beating Brazil's Alessandro Camarco in theAmericas Zone playoff for the Davis Cup. Silva won the match 6-5 3-6 6-4 to give Peru their fourth point in the encounter.
- The Associated Press has a photograph of Luis Horna hugging team captain Jaime Yzaga and Ivan Miranda after beating Brazil's Gabriel Pitta and Ronaldo Carvalho, in the Davis Cup match in Brasilia. The Peruvians won the match 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
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Sunday, September 26, 2004
Peruvian Olympians: Xinhua Net reports on Peruvian swimmer Jimmy Eulert Pinto who won a silver medal in the Men's S3 50 meters freestyle at the 12th Paralympic Games in Athens. Peru is fielding a team of five athletes. In Spanish: See this Telefonica press release on Eulert’s participation.
Trading with Thailand: The Thailand News Agency reports that the Board of Trade (BOT) of Thailand "has warned the government that the planned free trade area agreement with Peru may not benefit the country as much as expected, especially in the tourism and aviation industries." Phornsin Phacharintanakul (TNA calls him Pornsil Pacharintanakul), a senior member of the Board of Trade says that "the Peruvian market is still too small and far away from Thailand. Peru’s external trade is also small; total trade in 2002 was valued at less than sixteen billion dollars compared to Thailand’s trade which was valued at more than a hundred billion dollars." NOTE: "Peru is willing to open its market, but some of its domestic regulations may make this difficult in practice and put Thailand at disadvantage," according to the BOT. "Joint ventures and investment requires a ratio of one expatriate to 20 Peruvians, a salary ceiling and a yearly employment contract for foreigners, renewable annually with a nine-year limit," added Mr. Pornsil. ALSO: "Thai Airways International has no plan to launch services to Peru for at least another five years." See Also: 'Trading with Thailand’ in June 12’s Peruvia.
LBozzo’s Troubles, cont.: The Associated Press re-reviews Laura Bozzo’s status that includes the usual colourful details. "In a recently taped segment, Erma, who prostitutes herself to cover the doctor's bills for her 12-year-old son's heart defect, confronts Gregorio, a customer-turned-boyfriend, who is two-timing her with Carolina, whose little girl has a deformed skull. Both women are shown a hidden video exposing Gregorio as a married man. His wife is brought onstage, and the three women slap, scratch and pull at Gregorio, and each other, until Bozzo re-establishes order. Black-shirted bouncers throw Gregorio off the set and Bozzo offers to pay for the children's surgery." NOTE: "Now in her fifth season with Telemundo, in a $2.5 million studio equipped with luxury living quarters, Bozzo, 53, insists her prosecution is going nowhere and she should be freed. She says her only crime was publicly singing Fujimori's praises in the months before his fraud-filled re-election in 2000." ALSO: "She could get seven years, and says she plans to take her case to the United Nations and the U.S. Congress." CITED: Luis Lamas Puccio, a legal analyst, who supports Bozzo. See Also: ‘LBozzo’s Troubles’ in September 21’s Peruvia. Lamas has been defending Bozzo for at least two years.
Human Rights/Terror in Peru: The Associated Press reports on retired USA Army officer and now law professor Jeffrey F. Addicott who is director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University. Addicott "has made himself a go-to guy for TV news shows on legal issues that keep popping up in Iraq and Afghanistan." NOTE: In the 1980s, "Addicott devised [a program] for the Peruvian military, then in a protracted fight against the Shining Path guerrillas. [Said a former student,] "It really turned around the very bad practices of the Peruvian government." Addicott’s 1994 Ph.D. dissertation was titled, ‘Institutionalizing Human Rights Values in the Militaries of the New Democracies the Case of Peru.’
Tennis Winners: Reuters has a photograph of Luis Horna and Ivan Miranda as they "celebrate their winning match point to beat Brazil's Ronaldo Carvalho and Gabriel Pitta in doubles to clinch their team's third point of their Americas Zone playoff for the Davis Cup, in Brasilia." NOTE: "The Peruvians swept the first three matches to claim victory with one day of play still to go."
Chachapoyas Again: The Orlando Sentinel has a travel piece on Kuélap, "an immense ruin about halfway between Leymebamba and the city of Chachapoyas." (This is a repeat of a Washington Post piece listed in 'Chachapoyas' on January 18's Peruvia.) NOTE: "With its misty, ridge-top location and 35- to 50-foot limestone walls, Kuélap often draws comparisons to Machu Picchu, the legendary Inca site to the south. Unlike tourist-packed Machu Picchu, however, Kuélap retains a palpable sense of remoteness." CITED: Warriors of the Clouds, Keith Muscutt's classic account of his exploration of the region. The article is accompanied by a ‘Getting There’ section.
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