Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru, Mucho Gusto lauded by gourmands in Hong Kong

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

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© Jann Van Oordt

Peru, Mucho Gusto, a gastronomic festival that is taking the Andean country's finest dishes around the world, was lauded once again for the quality and fine presentation of Peru's dishes.

The last festival was held at the Tiffin Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Peru's first gastronomic festival in the region.

The event was organized by the Peruvian consulate and the Andean country's tourism & exportation promotion agency (PromPeru) in an effort to strengthen commercial ties between Peru and Hong Kong.

For the first time in the Andean nation's history, a menu containing a selection of Peruvian food was offered to the most demanding gourmands at the Tiffin Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt.

The country was proudly represented by Chef Jann Van Oordt, the head of Osaka, one of Lima’s best Asian-Peruvian fusion restaurants.

Giving participants a chance to savor a great deal of Peru's best foods, Chef Van Oordt served miniature dishes such as cebiche in martini glasses, tiradito on small plates, causa on spoons, seafood anticuchos with a version of his hot sauce, octopus in olive sauce and ají de gallina.

The festival exposed over 70,000 people in Hong Kong to Peruvian food and the country as a possible tourist destination.

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Peru's culture institute confiscates national patrimony sold as souvenirs

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Experts from Peru's National Institute for Culture (INC) found an array of altered cultural heritage products at the three artisan markets located in Miraflores, one of Lima's most touristic districts.

In a surprise investigation, experts from the country's INC - along with police officers and authorities from the public ministry - found 256 cultural heritage products being sold at these markets, which target tourists looking for souvenirs.

The two hundred plus products were confiscated from 25 stands located at the souvenir markets known as Galería Mercado Indio’s, Galería Indian Market and Galería Peruvian Market.

Police reported that two of the markets are on the 52nd and 53rd blocks of Petit Thouars avenues while the other is located on the 4th block of General Suarez Street.

All three of the souvenir markets are just minutes from Kennedy Park and Ovalo Miraflores, a roundabout that has a McDonald's, a Saga Falabella department store and a Curacao electronics store.

The majority of the cultural heritage products found were pre-Hispanic cloths that were being sold in pieces as well as on handmade dolls.

Furthermore, some of the cloths had been placed between glass and were being sold as coasters.

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Natural gas car conversion in Peru registers the highest growth in Latin America

The Peruvian market for natural gas car conversion has the highest rate of growth in Latin America, an estimate higher than countries such as Brazil or Argentina, stated today the general manager of Technological Solutions and Integrations (Sitec), Italo Baratella.

Sitec represents Faber from Italy in Latin America, which is one of the biggest manufactures of high pressure cylinders for gases such the ones used for natural gas vehicles (NGV).

"Due to this, Peru is the most interesting and attractive market in the region, so that the most important companies and leading world corporations in technology could enter Peru’s market regarding car conversion to the Dual System, Petrol and gas. The last one is a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ", he said.

In addition, Baratella stressed that the most important risk rating agencies have foreseen that Peru will be one of the countries in the world with projections of permanent growth.

This has promoted many companies such as the Italian group Faber to continue in the Peruvian market.

News source: ANDINA

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Peru ranks 28th as attractive destination for mining exploration investments

Peru ranks 28th as attractive destination for investment in mining exploration in 2007, moving up 26 places due to the good investment and legal climate, stated today the president of mining and economy school Gerens, Armando Gallegos.

“The clarification of the current government political line, with a position in favour of the natural resources investment and exploitation; as well as the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with United States were the key to improve the perception of the policies are linked to the mining exploration ", Gallegos said.

This is according to the report Evolution Investment Evolution in Mining Exploration, Peru and Latin America 2002 - 2007 by Gerens based on the survey made by Fraser Institute from Canada and Metal Economic Group statistics.

Gallegos remarked that in addition to Peru being regarded as a prosperous country by many investors, the improvement is also due to the investment grade awarded by an international credit risk agency last April.

News source: ANDINA

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Peru: Lima universtiy students riot & destroy construction work

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Claiming their rights are being violated and that it is necessary to establish a new contract with the municipality of Lima, students from the University of San Marcos continue to protest the construction of a bypass next to and on university grounds.

They took to the streets of Lima on Thursday, marching towards the country's congressional offices.

Thousands of students marched through the streets of downtown Lima demanding authorities cease construction work in and around the university.

Motorists and pedestrians showed their displeasure as the dean of the university and his students blocked off some of the capital's main streets.

Protests did not end with the march, however. Students began to destroy what constructions workers had built on Thursday evening, making workers angry and sparking a battle between the two groups.

At least 15 students were injured as construction workers responded by throwing rocks and Peru's national police began firing tear gas.

It was reported that one of the worst injuries was a student that had to receive 15 stitches after a rock hit him in the head.

Riots broke out in May as construction workers from the Municipality of Lima began working much closer to the university.

They were controlled but began once again early this week when students arrived to the university and found that one of their walls had been demolished.

The municipality has assured that this was part of a contract signed between municipal authorities and the university, explaining that agreements were reached months and in some cases years ago.

The municipality has also affirmed a new wall is to be built within 20 days.

The Municipality of Lima has stated that construction work will not stop and requested that Peru's national police provide the necessary security.

The University of San Marcos, the oldest officially established university in the Americas, agreed to grant the Municipality of Lima 28,000 square meters (301,389 square feet) of land for the construction of the new bypass.

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Peru: Morning News Roundup - Friday July 4

Illegal Logging Thriving In Peru

The frontier town of Satipo, on the edge of the Central Amazon, is a prime example of how illegal logging thrives, not only in Peru, but around the world. Satipo is a place where disputes are often settled by the gun, and international concerns over conservation and climate change are of no interest to those with the power here - the illegal logging barons. (Sky News - click here to read complete article by Catherine Jacob)


Peru's Stand on Bolivia Questioned

Two renowned Peruvian analysts criticized their government's position towards Bolivia, and agreed such policy is aimed at serving US interests. The issue was raised by the director of La Primera newspaper Cesar Levano and commentator Carlos Reyna, amidst an intensive controversy around the alleged intention of the US government to establish a military base in Peru. (Prensa Latina - click here to read complete article)


Peru, China reaffirm will to negotiate FTA

Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) said Thursday that Peru and China have reaffirmed their political will to continue negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Mercedes Araoz made the remarks after the 4th Round of FTA Negotiations between the two countries concluded here Thursday. (Xinhua - click here to read complete article)


Union support slips for Peru mining strike

Union support sank for Peru's nationwide mining strike on Thursday, while workers from other mines said the walkout would go on until Congress passed a bill to give them a bigger slice of corporate profits. Since the strike started on Monday, global copper prices have risen to record highs on worries it would crimp supplies from the world's No. 2 supplier. (Reuters - click here to read complete article)


Peru Meteorite could have survived descent if it lacked internal cracks and irregularities

Scientists have said that a meteorite that crashed in Peru in September last year may have survived the descent towards Earth if, by a one-in-a-million chance, it lacked internal cracks and irregularities. According to a report in New Scientist, the Carancas meteorite struck the town of that name in Peru last September, blowing a hole in the ground 13 metres wide. (ANI - click here to read complete article)


Peru-trek gran raises £3,000 for hospice

A GRAN has trekked across Peru in South America to raise more than £3,000 for Bolton Hospice. Cancer survivor Jean Partington, aged 65, spent four days walking the Inca Trail - and even reached its highest point of 14,000 feet above sea level. The grandmother-of-three was determined to complete the challenge after losing her father and sister to cancer and beating the disease herself 17 years ago. (Bolton News - click here to read complete article by Jane Lavender)


Seizing Native land in Peru, one parcel at a time

Activists in Peru are mounting various legal challenges to that nation's recently passed package of legislation, called ''forest laws,'' which they say will make it easier for authorities to break up indigenous communities and prevent indigenous people from obtaining titles to their land. ''These measures taken by the current government attempt to take away our collective property and intend to destroy indigenous people, who are people with rights that have existed long before the formation of the Peruvian state,'' asserted Robert Guimaraes, an indigenous leader from the Amazon, regarding the controversial laws that were decreed by President Alan Garcia May 20. (Indian Country - click here to read complete article by Rick Kearns)

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Peru's President Garcia attends US 232nd Anniversary of Independence

Peruvian president, Alan García Pérez attended Thursday United States' 232nd anniversary of independence, which took place in ambassador Michael McKinley's residence.

Together with his daughter Josefina García, the Peruvian president arrived at the diplomat's residence located in Cercado de Lima.

García was welcomed by Ambassador Michael McKinley and his wife. Then, the honor ceremony started with a tribute to the North American flag.

The ceremony was followed by Peru and United States' hymns.

During the speech, the American ambassador congratulated Colombia’s government and population for the “successful and extraordinary” hostage rescue which took place on Wednesday.

Then, the Peruvian president invited Colombia’s ambassador to Peru, Álvaro Pava, to participate in the main toast, by expressing his satisfaction regarding Ingrid Betancourt's rescue. The gesture was applauded by all the guests.

Peru’s vice-president Luis Giampietri; president of the Peruvian Congress, Luis Gonzáles Posada and several legislators also took part in this event.

As well as, Peru’s chancellor José Antonio García Belaúnde, and the ministers of Labor, Mario Pasco; Foreign Trade and Tourism, Mercedes Aráoz; Transports and Communications, Verónica Zavala; Energy and Mines, Juan Valdivia; and Justice, Rosario Fernández.

The Commanding General for Peru's Army, Edwin Donayre; Peru’s comptroller representatives, Peru National Elections Office (ONPE) and the Commission for the Development and Life without Drugs (Devida), businessmen, diplomatics, journalists, among other guests, were also present.

News source: ANDINA

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Peru town to celebrate 1 year anniversary of chondrite meteorite

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

A small remote town 800 miles from Peru's capital was placed on the map and in the eyes of the world when a meteorite landed and reports that people were feeling ill surfaced.

On September 15 2007, a chondrite meteorite landed in Carancas, a town in the southern region of Puno.

A chain of events the townspeople will never forget broke out from that moment forward.

Everything from strange sicknesses to Americans stealing pieces of the meteorite and fleeing to neighboring countries was reported.

One year later, foreign and national scientists will celebrate the fall of the meteorite's first anniversary.

In honor of the meteorite's crash, scientists are to gather at the site to compare research and look into possible funding for projects in the area.

"The idea is to do something that will attract attention and bring people together to obtain financing. The main lecturer will be Japanese scientist Miura Yasunori, who has a more accurate vision of what happened," said geologist Hernando Núñez del Prado.

Núñez expressed his hope in conserving the crater and its contents as well as the desire to make it a tourist attraction by building a museum in the area.

He affirmed that the museum was in its planning stage and would require a $100,000 investment.

According to Andina news agency, the chondrite meteorite that landed in Carancas was the size of a basketball and approximately 4.5 billion years old.

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Construction begins on $20 million mall in Trujillo, Peru

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

In statements released on Thursday, Malls Peru announced the start of the construction of a new shopping center in the northern region of La Libertad.

It was reported that Malls Peru is to invest $20 million in the construction of a new shopping center in Trujillo, the capital of La Libertad.

The new shopping center, which has been named Los Jardines Open Plaza, is the fifth of the open plaza shopping centers Malls Peru has invested in.

Los Jardines Open Plaza is to be built on the 25,000 square meter (269,098 square foot) piece of land where Los Jardines Hotel used to be.

It will have a Tottus supermarket, a Sodimac hardware store as well as establishments such as Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP), BBVA Banco Continental, Radio Shack, Lavanderías Pressto and Do It.

The shopping center will also have restaurants such as China Wok and Norky's among others.

Los Jardines Open Plaza will directly employ 1,000 people and indirectly provide jobs for 3,000 more, said the general manager of Malls Peru, Jose Antonio Contreras.

It has been estimated that the shopping center will be built in six months and be inaugurated by the end of this year.

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Peru: Miraflores telephone & electric cable removal to cost residents

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

News that cables hanging from posts in Miraflores were going to be removed and placed underground was lauded by many and received especially well by neighbors that assured that the cables were "visual contamination".

According to reports issued by Telefonica and Luz del Sur, one of Lima's main electric companies, moving these cables underground will generate additional costs that customers will have to assume.

"The cost of underground cabling is eight times as expensive as aerial cabling. This would increase the price," assured Hans Berger, a spokesperson for Luz del Sur.

Berger stated that 70 percent of Miraflores' electric cables were already underground and explained a 100-percent underground cabling system would be more expensive for customers.

Furthermore, the spokesman explained that placing the cables underground meant that the company would have to dig holes in the street, which could take longer than the municipality had ordered.

According to an ordinance published in Peru's official gazette, telephone, cable and electric companies have 18 months to put all of their cables underground.

Telefonica added that the majority of houses in Miraflores were not equipped to have underground phone connections and explained that residents would have to make certain adjustments.

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