Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

“Tomás,” the little dog that was rescued by her owner from being used in experiments conducted by medicine students (from San Marcos University), is now recovering satisfactorily at home.

Carmen Valverde, the owner, who was arrested for entering illegally into the Loayza Hospital to rescue Tomás, was eventually set free and got the little dog back

However, the pet still shows signs of stress and fear after the experience he's been through.

“Look at him. He has these marks, he was shaved because the medicine students were going use him for surgery experiments,” Valverde said while being interviewed by local TV.

Several pet owners rushed to San Marcos University with hopes of finding their lost pets, but they were told that the animals were no longer there.

According to CPN Radio, the Loayza Hospital and San Marcos University decided to suspend these experiments with animals, due to the demonstrations that pet owners are still having at these institutions' doors.

In addition, the Prosecutor's Office has started an investigation to determine under which circumstances Tomás and many other dogs were taken to these facilities.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The National Hospital “Arzobispo Loayza” issued an statement this afternoon dismissing and rejecting the recent accusations of performing experiments on animals since the mentioned health facility “is dedicated to the care of the patients.”

The statement indicates says that the events denounced yesterday by Carmen Velarde (the pet owner who had to enter ilegally into the hospital to rescue her dog) “took place in a building that, despite being located in the hospital's area, is actually occupied and managed by the National University of San Marcos, so it is completely separated from the hospital itself.”

Thus, the Loayza Hospital ruled out any responsibility on the facts that might take place in those mentioned areas.

The police declined making any comments, while Carmen Velarde declared to Radio Capital that her dog “Tomás” was stolen last Friday while she was walking her pet.

“After a few days, a friend of mine who works in the Loayza Hospital told me that my dog was there,” she said.

This case has brought up public debate on animal experimentation and illegal traffic of animals, since many Peruvians think that pets are stolen by organized bands to be sold to laboratories, veterinarian schools, circus, etc.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

An strong tremor of approximately 4.0 magnitude in the Richter scale hit Lima this night, at 3:12AM, reported the Geophysic Institute of Peru (IGP).

According to IGP's official reports, the epicenter was located 26km to the Southwest of Lima, in a district called Mala (Cañete province, in Lima region), with a depht of 52km.

Despite the alarm amongst the Limenians, no personal injuries nor  material damages have been reported yet.

Due to its location in the Circum Pacific Belt of Fire, also known as “ring of fire,”, Lima is a city very prone to be hit by earthquakes of different magnitudes.

The last destructive earthquake that hit Lima took place on October 3rd, 1974, with a magnitude of 8, and with its epicenter located in the Pacific Ocean, at only 80km to the Southwest of Lima.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

According to a survey conducted by the University of Lima Public Opinion Group, 95% of the taxi drivers in this city have got a traffic ticket sometime, at least once.

But not only this: 86.3% of the drivers who participated in this survey admits that the police officers requested them to pay a bribe to avoid getting a traffic ticket, a fact that not only reveals the high level of corruption but also shows that police officers actually allow bad drivers to circulate in order to get money from them.

However, this survey also reveals the failures and irresponsibility of the drivers; they either drive for too many hours or use cars that are not in 100% good conditions.

Reportedly, only 13.47% of the drivers works during 8 hours or less. A 26% works 9 to 10 hours; 32%, between 11 and 12 hours, and a 28.7% works more than 12 hours a day, which causes extreme exhaustion and makes them prone to cause traffic accidents.

Joaquín Rosas, Presidente of the National Federation of Taxis (Fentac), explains that they can't afford new vehicles nor expensive maintenance, and that the costs of gas (or of renting the vehicle) force the drivers to extend their daily work in order to cover their expenses.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Municipality of Miraflores, a Limean  district, has bought six Segways vehicles to improve the security.

These two-wheeled, self-balancing, electric-powered and eco-friendly vehicles will and allow auxiliary police officers (Serenazgo) to cover three times the area an officer on foot could patrol.

Local authorities also presented an ambulance, six Nissan Frontier trucks and two roadside assistance cars, that were bought with an investment of 400,000 soles (approx. over US$ 130,000).

According to municipal sources, the municipality is to buy soon fifteen motorcycles and fifteen trucks, in the aim of improving the Serenazgo's work.

Miraflores’ Public Safety Department was founded in 1991 by late mayor Alberto Andrade Carmona.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru’s President Alan García attended today (for the fourth consecutive year) the Thanksgiving Ceremony celebrated by the Evangelical churches in the Christian and Missionary Church facilities.

A part of the celebrations for the 188th Anniversary of the Independence, the religious service started at 11am, when President Garcia arrived and was welcomed by Miguel Bardales, president of the Thanksgiving Ministry, who gave him a bible written in Quechua.

Pastor Javier Cortazar explained the concept of justice from God's perspective, as well as its importance in the daily life.

The ceremony was attended by another members of the Cabinet such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde; Production, Mercedes Araoz; and Transport, Enrique Cornejo; Housing, Francis Allison; Energy and Mines, Pedro Sánchez; and Health, Oscar Ugarte.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Museum of Memory will be built under a big Limean park, the very well-know “Campo de Marte” (Mars' Field), located in Jesus Maria district, according to Fernando de Szyzslo, a member of the Museum's commission.

“The museum will be built underground. The idea is not altering the surroundings, not changing the existing park as it is now,” he said.

Mario Vargas Llosa added that this museum should reflect the horrors committed by Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and the MRTA terrorist groups, and also the ones commited by counter-insurgency armed forces.

According to the project, the Museum of Memory will not only showcase pictures but will also have a library, conference rooms and a storage area.

"All we're clear on the committee that the museum can not serve as political propaganda for anyone, because then the facts would get distorted," he stressed.

“I aspire it to be a museum that promotes discussion and reflection among Peruvians,” he remarked.

It is not clear yet what the area of construction will be .

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

An unusual rain surprised the Limeans this morning, while they were dealing with the transportations' strike and heading to their workplaces or to study.

According to the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology (SENAMHI), mist, fog and persistent, intermittent showers will continue in the city at least until next Friday.

Jorge Chira, a meteorologist at SENAMHI, stated to El Comercio that the intense rain is to be accompanied by a sensation of cold, due to the arrival of cold winds from southern continent .

The specialist said that Lima has not faced a similar situation not experienced since the early 70's.

The heavy and persistent drizzle practically flooded all Lima, causing trouble especially to the drivers.

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Andina

The Peruvian Government, through its Ministry of Housing, will allocate an additional 10 million soles to build an alternate road in the bay of Lima, commonly-known as Costa Verde.

According to Francis Allison, Minister of Houding, who declared to the press after a meeting with President Alan Garcia, this additional money will be added to 16 million invested this year and 5 million in 2008.

“The alternate highway will start in the district of Magdalena and will extend until San Isidro; it will contribute to solve traffic jams in Costa Verde,” he said.

These works will be possible thanks to an agreement with the Municipality of Miraflores that created the technical file, but the entire work will be financed and executed by the Ministry of Housing.

He added that this project was approved by the Autonomous Authority of Costa Verde.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Health Care Director of the Ministry of Health, Luis Miguel Leon, said that authorities will not suspend the traditional military parade for the Independence Celebrations, even taking into account the increasing spread of AH1N1 in Peru and especially in Lima.

On the other hand, Meliton Arca, Deputy minister of Health, said that at the moment public activities have not been suspended yet, because they don't want to create panic among the population.

However, people showing symptoms of influenza, or in contact with influenza patients, should sstay home and not attend any of these public activities.

“We have taken all the necessary and recommended measures. To suspend or not other public activities is not a decision to be taken immediately, "he said.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com