Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-jl) -- Colombian officials are mulling over the idea of requesting the extradition of former Peruvian spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos for his role in illicit weapons sales to the Colombian paramilitary group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, better known as the FARC.

Colombian Ambassador to Peru Alvaro Pava Camelo confirmed the idea to Peru's Andina News Agency this past weekend.

"The extradition of Montesinos -who has been locked up in a military prison to the west of Lima- is one of the legal options the Colombian government is playing around with," said Pava.

The ambassador sustained that a possible extradition request should be decided on by Colombian judicial bodies, in addition to the investigations of the thousands of weapons allegedly sold to the Colombian guerrilla group.

In September of last year, a special anti-corruption tribunal sentenced Montesinos to a 20 year prison term for illicit arms trafficking and crimes against national security.

(LIP-jl) -- Former Peruvian Fujimori's extradition case in Chile has suffered another delay as Chile's Supreme Court Prosecutor was granted a week long extension to submit her recommendation on the former president's case which started last year.

The head prosecutor, Monica Maldonado, asked for the extension today, claiming that she has not been able to devote the necessary time and effort to the extensive case as other issues have kept her attention focused elsewhere.

Chilean Supreme Court Judge Orlando Alvarez will not be able to emit his decision until Maldonado submits her recommendation, though her findings are not binding to Judge Alvarez's decision.

According to Peru 21, Alvarez will have all of the time he deems necessary to review Maldonado's findings, which will include a detailed summary of the charges, evidence, arguments, and additional information regarding the charges and defense in the case.

The Chilean Supreme Court judge will then notify the parties involved (the Peruvian government and Fujimori) and announce his decision 5 days later, which cannot be appealed.

Both Peruvian President Alan Garcia and his Chilean counterpart Michele Bachelet, as well as Fujimori himself, have pledged to respect the Chilean Supreme Court's decision.

- related articles -
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	Extradition of Peru's Fujimori full of setbacks (by LIP, 24 May, 2007)
	Peru's Fujimori says he will accept Chile's decision (by LIP, 14 May, 2007 )
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(LIP-jl) -- After recent turmoil caused by a recurring maritime limit dispute, as well as controversy caused by a Chilean produced documentary film depicting the War of the Pacific, Peruvian and Chilean authorities are finally uniting their efforts to preserve something that is in each country's best interest: Natural resources.

A special labor commission comprised of officials from Peru and Chile has been implemented to help protect and conserve natural resources and wildlife along Peru's southern region and Chile's northern region.

Members from Peru's National Institute of Natural Resources (Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales -Inrena) and Chile's Cattle and Agriculture Service (Servicio Agrícola Ganadero de Chile -SAG) took part in a ceremony held in Lima yesterday to celebrate the beginning of this bi-national campaign that aims to to help preserve often neglected or abused wildlife and national resources in the border region.

According to Irena, the special commission will be the governing authority over programs and projects that are implemented the area, and both parties will have equal say in the commission.

The success of this commission just might open the door to begin to solve some of the current problems between the Andean neighbors.

(LIP-jl) -- During an interview with a Peruvian news program this past weekend, former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori stated he will accept Chile's decision regrading his extradition case, even if the ruling is against him.

Fujimori, who has been in Chile for over a year after a surprise visit from Japan - where he had been evading Peruvian authorities after he resigned amid a profound corruption scandal, was interviewed by Peruvian news program Reporte Semanal at a Peruvian restaurant located in the northwest sector of Santiago, Chile.

The former president was asked about rumors that have been swirling in the media that allege he will seek political asylum at the Japanese Embassy in Santiago if Chilean officials rule in the favor of Peru's government.

"This is purely speculation on the part of the media and the Peruvian government. I am completely at ease," said Fujimori.

Additionally, Fujimori claimed he was up to date on Peru's political scene, carefully following everything that occurs in the Andean republic.

The interview was going along rather smoothly until Reporte Semanal reporter Rosa Vallejos questioned Fujimori about corruption and human rights violation charges filed against him.

He continuously refrained from commenting and, as the questions persisted, the former president got up and left the table in the middle of the interview.

Kenji Fujimori, the former president's youngest son, was in Chile to celebrate his birthday alongside his father. According to the report, father and son spent the weekend fishing outside of the Chilean capital.

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	Peru's prosecution calls ex-Pres. Fujimori a 'hypocrite' (by LIP, 4 May, 2007)
	Fujimori denies asylum plot, has 'clean conscience' (by LIP, 3 May, 2007)
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(LIP-mr) -- Argentinian Police officials are cracking down on what they suspect could be the beginnings of a giant drug trafficking war between Peruvian gangs residing in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.

The murder of a 44-year-old Peruvian, just days after the murder of another Peruvian colleague of his in district Eleven, has caused police to hold 40 persons for questioning regarding the recent homicide. Of the 40 persons being held to submit their testimonies and alibis, most are Peruvian.

According to Argentinian Federal Police spokesman, Nestor Rodriguez, suspects are being held without any evidence of involvement in the homicide due to their suspicions of an erupting war between Peruvian gangs, similar to one which occurred two years ago that left 5 people dead.

However, it is possible that this degree of security being initiated by Argentinian police could be crossing the line into ethnic profiling.

Earlier this week, Argentinian newspaper, El Clarin, reported that Peruvians being held during the investigation feel they are being accused of drug trafficking only because of their Peruvian nationality and not because of their actions.

Argentinian police officials have not set a time table as to when any arrests will be made or for how long the suspects will be kept in custody.

(LIP-mr) -- A document signed by Peru and Guatemala yesterday will surely make it more difficult for criminals to evade justice in their countries.

Peruvian and Guatemalan officials agreed to an extradition treaty, making it easier for their respective judicial systems to cooperate with one another, rather than being used as a refuge by those who flee the law in their respective countries.

Guatemalan Chancellor, Gert Rosenthal Koenigsberger, who is visiting Peru to celebrate 150 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between Guatemala and Peru, signed the treaty along with three additional documents alongside Peruvian Chancellor, Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde.

The second agreement signed by the two chancellors, allows the dependent relatives of diplomatic consuls, administrative and technical mission diplomats, and consuls from both countries to freely exercise remunerated activities in both nations.

The great success of the meeting between the two chancellors led Peruvian chancellor, Garcia Belaunde to decorate Guatemalan Chancellor Rosenthal with the Orden El Sol del Perú en el Grado de Gran Cruz.

(LIP-mr) -- In an effort to strengthen ties between Mexico and Peru, Beatriz Paredes Rangel, President of the Executive Committee from Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI in Spanish), visited with Peruvian President Alan Garcia yesterday at the Peruvian Government Palace in downtown Lima.

Paredes, who was Mexico's first female governor in its history, stated that movements to strengthen economic and political relations with the Andean nation are of high priority due to the state of importance Peru holds with Mexico.

She stated: "With President Garcia, I have discussed the convictions that Mexicans who form the PRI have on the importance of relations with Latin America, the strengthening of the Latin American identity, and the bonds between Mexico and Peru."

Possibilities to begin an exchange program between the Colosio Foundation, a PRI-sponsored social and political organization named after assassinated PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio, and Peruvian political organizations involved in the country's rural development were also discussed during the meeting between Garcia and Paredes

Paredes, a sociologist by trade, has been in charge of Mexico's PRI party since February 18 of this year. The PRI political party ruled Mexico for an amazing consecutive term of 71 years (1929-2000).

(LIP-jl) -- During a meeting presided over by Peruvian President Alan Garcia, Chilean business representatives gave their word that they will invest in Peru's growing economy.

The Chilean-Peruvian Business Committee convened at Peru's Government Palace yesterday evening to discuss the role of Chile's business sector in the country's emerging economy.

With high ranking Peruvian government officials such as the president and Peruvian Prime Minister Jorge Del Castillo on hand, Hernan Somerville, President of Chile's Banks and Financial Institutions Association, reaffirmed his future intentions in the Peruvian economy by highlighting his country's participation in the past.

"Peru is one the countries with the highest rates of Chilean investments. During the next few years, their should be an enormous flow of Chilean investment running through this country," manifested Somerville.

As a reminder of how much Chilean businessmen have faith in Peru's economy, Somerville highlighted that current Chilean investments in Peru are reported to be at US$5.2 billion.

Additionally, Somerville called on President Garcia to meet with his Chilean counterpart, Michele Bachelet, to discuss the possibilities of widening the actual investment limits set by their respective countries. He also noted that Peruvian investments in Chile account for 30% of investments.

"We are more than just competitors, we are partners," affirmed Somerville.

(LIP-jl) -- Early this morning, Peruvian President Alan Garcia denied that a problem over territorial boundaries exists with its neighbor to the north, Ecuador. Garcia qualified recent media reports that claim Peru has pending border issues with Ecuador as 'erroneous' and 'bad information.'

"We do not have any diplomatic problems or pending border issues with Ecuador," said President Garcia.

Peru's leader added: "We have an excellent relationship and every issue has been resolved."

This past weekend, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa downplayed the media reports calling them 'untrue' and not representative of the Peruvian government.

"Unfortunately, there are certain sectors in Peru which want to create conflicts where none have previously existed. I fully believe that these ideas have not come from Peru's government or from its democratic sectors," affirmed Correa last Saturday.

While things appear to be calm in Peru's northern territory, issues with Chile have no end in sight.

Peruvian and Chilean media have resurfaced the ongoing maritime limit issue between the countries, which according to Chile was resolved years ago. Peru insists that while its land border with Chile was resolved in previous treaties, its ocean limits were not. Peru is currently evaluating possible international litigation at the Hague, in the Netherlands.

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	Maritime limit with Chile to be settled before Peru's Garcia leaves office (by LIP, 27 April, 2007)
	Chile's president reaffirms maritime limit with Peru is a 'non issue' (by LIP, 10 April, 2007)
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(LIP-jl) -- Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori's comments made during an interview with Reuters earlier this week have caused the Peruvian prosecution team in charge of the extradition case against him, to label him as a hypocrite.

Amid growing rumors that the former president is planning to seek political asylum at the Japanese Embassy in Santiago, Fujimori told Reuters he was not even aware of the physical location of the embassy and said these allegations were unfounded.

"That would be like thinking I had crossed the entire Pacific Ocean to get to Chile simply to say that I was going to return to Japan. It's not logical, and I'm always driven by logic," Fujimori said.

Peruvian legal authorities did not find his remarks amusing and claimed he possesses a manual on several escape methods.

"The comments made by Fujimori demonstrate complete hypocrisy. It is more than obvious that he is well aware of the embassy's location since he moved to an apartment just blocks away from it. If he decides to do so, he can enter the embassy anytime he wishes, as long as he is granted permission by Japanese authorities," said Omar Chehade, Chief of Peru's Extradition Unit from the National Prosecutor's Department.

Chehade added: "I don't believe a word he has said. While his extradition is becoming increasingly eminent, the stronger the possibility is that he will seek refuge at the Japanese Embassy. We are using all our diplomatic means to prevent this from happening."

- related articles -
separator
	Fujimori denies asylum plot, has 'clean conscience' (by LIP, 3 May, 2007)
	Peru's Fujimori plans to escape, says Chilean newspaper (by LIP, 23 April, 2007)
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