Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Apology and handshakes at Peru summit

The Latin American-European Union summit in Peru has yielded few concrete measures, but some of the leaders from the fifty nations present have used the occasion to improve relations. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez apologised to German Chancellor Angela Merkel for his earlier comments that the political right backing her was "the same movement that supported Hitler". (EuroNews - click here to read complete article)


Peru's Garcia Says Gas Tax Could Help Environment

Peruvian President Alan Garcia said taxes on natural gas exports could help fund global efforts to combat climate change and promote reforestation of the Amazon River basin. ``A small tax on exports of natural gas could raise $20 billion a year for reforestation efforts,'' Garcia said during his opening speech to a summit of leaders from Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean in Lima. (Bloomberg - click here to read complete article by Bill Faries and Alex Emery)


Rights activists in Peru condemn corporations

Human rights activists "ethically and morally" condemned 24 European corporations on Friday, accusing them of environmental contamination, labor exploitation and selling dangerous pesticides in Latin America. The panel, known as the Permanent People's Tribunal, accused 24 companies — including Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Spanish oil company Repsol YPF and German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer AG — at a symbolic trial held on the sidelines of a biennial Latin America-European Union summit. (AP - click here to read complete article)


With Chávez in Check, Talks in Peru Stay Calm

To the relief of organizers of a summit meeting here of leaders from Latin America and Europe on Friday, the encounter was notable for being relatively free of insults being flung publicly. No chancellor was accused of being a fascist. No president called another a lap dog of the United States. No king told a president to shut up. (Actually no kings were even in attendance.) (The New York Times - click here to read complete article by Simon Romero)


Peru declares national mourning for Chinese earthquake victims

The Peruvian government passed on Friday a supreme ordinance, setting May 19th as a national mourning day for Chinese earthquake victims. According to the ordinance, signed by President Alan Garcia and his cabinet members, the Peruvian national flag will be raised half mast on May 19th in governmental, military and public buildings all over the country and its overseas missions. (Xinhua - click here to read complete article)