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Witness accusing Peru mayor of murder found dead

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Peace was restored in Huamachuco, a district in the northwestern coastal region of La Libertad, after local authorities, a police general, the mayor of the province, human rights representatives and delegates representing the townspeople met for several hours on Thursday evening.

After having broken into a police station by making a hole in one of its outer walls, setting part of it and three police vehicles on fire and freeing prisoners, townspeople in Huamachuco agreed not to incite any more riots or take part in criminal acts.

The community also agreed to rebuild the police station's wall, return the weapons missing from the police station and help catch the seventeen criminals freed during the riot.

The riot took place on Wednesday afternoon when a mob attempted to lynch the mayor of the district, who had been brought into custody as a part of an investigation of the murder of a municipal worker.

19-year-old Santos Sabino Cerna, a suspect in the homicide, accused the mayor of having shot the municipal worker twice in the head.

Santos Sabino will not testify however, he died in a hospital on Thursday afternoon after having reported severe stomach pains.

According to police, Santos Sabino had been poisoned.

It was reported that the teenage witness escaped from jail during the riot and went to his home. It was during the days he was free that he was poisoned, reported police.

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# Mr Mayor says :
29 August, 2008 [ 10:39 ]

Let this be a warning to all those who defy me.

# Crazy mob says :
29 August, 2008 [ 10:57 ]

You better run and hide Mr. Mayor.  We are coming after you and are bringing our pole with us to hang you from.

# Arturo says :
29 August, 2008 [ 12:00 ]

Those two comments above cracked me up.

But on a serious note who feed this kid his last meal? His own family? Or did the mayor stop by?

# jb says :
29 August, 2008 [ 12:50 ]

The butler did it.

# christine schmidt says :
29 August, 2008 [ 13:41 ]

When mobs take the law in the hand than this is a sign f beginning anarchy. is not the first time such sings happen in Peru, Peruvians quit well remember the imagines from burnt thieves and mayors in other parts-(illave). As long as Peru does not introduces institutions which are working according to the measures of modern democracy, as long as Peruvians mistrust in their Justice system and their authorities we will see images like that again. Anyhow down- BBC country perfile PERU- which should be a weak up call for that once in charge.

Country profile: Peru

Peru's rich and varied heritage includes the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco and the lost city of Machu Picchu. The country boasts spectacular scenery, including Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. It is rich in copper, silver, lead, zinc, oil and gold. Despite this, Peru's progress has been held back by corruption and the failure of successive governments to deal with social and economic inequality. Overview In its recent past Peru has alternated between democracy and military dictatorship. Also, it is deeply divided politically and economically. A small elite of Spanish descent controls most of the wealth and political power, while indigenous Peruvians are largely excluded from both and make up many of the millions who live in poverty. AT-A-GLANCE Politics: Former leader Alan Garcia won presidential elections in June 2006; his first term ended in 1990 with the economy in tatters; nationalist rival Ollanta Humala has a majority in CongressEconomy: Peru has seen growth, but the lot of the rural poor is little improved; the US and Peru have agreed a free trade dealInternational: Peru and Chile dispute their maritime border; Venezuela's President Chavez ruffled some Peruvian feathers by backing Alan Garcia's election rivalTimeline Because of these problems, foreign investors have often given Peru a wide berth. In addition, a preoccupation with political power struggles has meant that the economy and infrastructure have been neglected, a factor which fuelled Peru's guerrilla insurgencies. Peru endured a brutal war against Maoist rebels in which up to 69,000 people were killed in the 1980s and 1990s. Investigators have blamed the rebels for many of the killings, but the military has also been implicated. Despite the near destruction of the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru guerrilla groups, violence - in the form of murders and gang warfare - is still a problem and has been linked to the drugs trade. Peru is one of South America's biggest producers of coca - the raw material for cocaine. The UN children's fund, Unicef, has found that most of the pickers in the coca-growing areas in the north-east and south-east are children. Facing the Pacific, Peru is an important link between Asia and Brazil.

# christine schmidt says :
29 August, 2008 [ 13:45 ]

yesterday I put BBC country perfile in this page under this atricle- surely the comment didnt went through. I thing it is very much important for Peruvians as much as for foreignors how internacional neutral sources evaluate the country

# rice and sugar says :
29 August, 2008 [ 14:18 ]

Christine, the comment did go through, and I replied to your comment on the previous article.
Here is the link

http://www.livinginperu.com/news/7254

# christine schmidt says :
29 August, 2008 [ 15:05 ]

Thanks Rice- I thought it was lost- once in a while this int. comments should be posted- .
didn’t look to good yesterday- Mobparty in the north- does not come good, food upraising in the South and in Lima terrible imagines from former retired army members- old people who if I have seen well were beaten- 
this is a shame!!!!!! Because many of them risk their lives in fight against terrorism.
About the fight from victims of human right abuse and fujimoristas-also terrible- they join the same country, (suffered both because I don’t doubt under the fanatic Fujimorista trouble makers yesterday were persons who lost family members in terrorism- anyhow I found it very tasteless but i wont be judge on anyonce pain.  Can there not be find a middle way- a dialogue I mean a serious dialogue putting political party games and private interests apart.
I think victims of human right abuses should be highly recompensate (free houses, free studies for kids , free health care )  - this makes their family members not alive but it is a start and it is a way to say- I am deeply deeply sorry.What I mean both sides have to live somehow together   and hate will not be helpful.
(Gandhi said once- you want to overcome hate you have to adopt the child from your dead enemy  and raise it like your own- I know it is not easy but he might have been a little bit right). Why they can not organize like week end holidays from the kids from both sides kids who come from victims of terrorist families and victims of human right abuse - surely I get now critics from both sides. but I can live with it.
– It is only for the record- Yesterday there were also Fronoton family members?