Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Agriculture Ministry (Minag) has issued a press release informing that that its National Program of Researching in Rice has developed a new variety, INIA 509-La Esperanza, intended to increase productivity levels in San Martin region.

According to Minag, this new variety not only will increase the production, but is also plague -resistant and improves its gastronomic quality.

Cesar Paredes, Head of this Researching Program, says that this will benefit some 9,500 rice producers from Alto Mayo, Bajo Mayo and Huallaga Central Valleys.

Rice is one of the basic foods in Peru, and its consumption covers 19% of the required daily calories intake.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Telefonica del Peru and Banco de Crédito (BCP) have just signed an agreement that will guarantee the normal BCP's customers operations in more than 300 agencies spread throughout the country, even during natural disasters.

Connectivity will be implemented through a backup data center located in Brazil, which also has independent outputs towards the international network through Ecuador and Chile, ensuring the BCP's agencies operations before any natural disaster in Lima.

This is a pioneering technology project in Peru and Latin America, taking advantage of Telefonica's nationwide coverage in Peru and BCP's presence in Latin America.

Have news you'd like to see in LivinginPeru.com? Contribute an article, whether it's translated or based on your own reporting. Contact editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Former congressman and President of Universitario de Deportes, Alfredo González (shown in the photo),  continues at intensive care unit, his daughter Roxana told the press.

The well known and polemic sports manager is currently fighting for his life at the ICU of Essalud's Sabogal Hospital, in Callao.

Reportedly, he is conscious, but is kept under sedation.

González suffers from a serious pneumonia, and he is hospitalized since Dec. 25.

Roxana González confirmed to a local radio station that his father's life is in danger, and asked the media to show some respect for the family's privacy during this difficult moment.

Alfredo González was President of Universitario de Deportes twice during the 90's; the team won the local championship three times under his presidency.

He was elected as congressman during Alberto Fujimori's government; and recently he was the host of a gastronomy program on a local TV station.

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Andina

Peru's Madre de Dios and Apurimac regions posted an increase of more than 100 percent in their exports from January to October this year, the Peruvian Exporters' Association (ADEX) announced Sunday.

Regional exports, except those from Lima and Callao, totaled US$ 13.5 billion during the first eight months of the year, in other words, 23 percent less than the similar period last year, when the amount reached US$17.5 billion.

According to the ADEX Data Trade Intelligence System, the region of Madre de Dios exported products worth US$30.1 million, which represents an increase of 199 percent from January to October 2009, compared to the similar period last year.

Their main products are gold and wood semi-manufactured products, as well as fresh and dried fruits.

The region of Apurimac registered an increase of 159 percent, totaling shipments worth US$ 106.5 million, having exported products  such as lead, copper, cereals, fresh and dried vegetables, and coffee.

Puno regional exports grew 62 percent and included gold, lead, copper, wool, zinc, and coffee.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Amnesty International (AI) has urged the Peruvian authorities to open a fair and impartial investigation on all the deaths registered in the district of Amazonas, when several groups of indigenous people blocked a highway near Bagua.

According to EFE news agency (quoted by Peru.com), AI has issued an statement requesting for a full investigation on the death of ten indigenous people, with the same relevance as the one that has been launched on the deaths of 23 police officers during such incidents.

At least two hundred people were injured on June 5th after the police intervened to end a protest led by local natives who disagree on land and resource use policies.

The AI note states that thousands of Indians had blocked the road for 50 days in protest because of a new legislation that they say threatens their livelihood.

AI added that while arrests have been made and charges have been formulated on people connected with the death of the police officers, no charges have been filed against any of those suspected of being involved in the death of native protesters.

The NGO, based in London, added that indigenous leaders have also faced intimidation and harassment from the authorities.

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

According to Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released in Berlin this week, Peru has 3.7 points in a ranking that ranges between 0 (highly corrupt) and 10 (least corrupt).

Peru ranks better than some of its neighbors, like Argentina (2.9) , Bolivia (2.7), and Ecuador (2.2), and has the same score as Brazil and Colombia.

Chile is perceived as less corrupt than all its neighbors, scoring 6.7, and Venezuela ranks lowest in the region, with 1.9.

Corruption is seriously widespread in Latin America, said Sylvia Schenk, president of Transparency International in Germany.

On the other hand, the world’s top five countries perceived to be the least corrupt are New Zealand (9.4), Denmark (9.3), Sweden and Singapore with 9.2, and Switzerland with 9.0.

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

According to the information disclosed in a press release issued by Survival, several indigenous peoples all around the world condemn the the Peruvian government’s attempts to destroy the Amazon Indian movements.

A few weeks ago it was reported that Peru's government has plans to disband Peru’s national organization for Amazon Indians, known by its Spanish acronym AIDESEP, by means of legal and political actions.

"Peru’s government should sit down and talk respectfully to AIDESEP as the legitimate representatives of the country’s Amazonian Indians, not try to attack them through the courts," said Armand MacKenzie, from the Innu Council of Nitassinan in Canada.

"If you target AIDESEP you’re targeting all indigenous people –all over the world," said CAOI, an organization representing indigenous people in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, which also considers that the Peruvian government runs ‘racist’ policies.

AIDESEP, which has been opposing the government’s attempts to open the Peruvian Amazon to oil, gas and mining companies, was founded in 1980 and represents 350,000 indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon.

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Surfline.com

Small surf in the one-foot (0.5 metre) and onshore winds have forced event organizers to call competition off for the day at the Movistar Peru Classic presented by Rip Curl.

Event No. 5 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women's World Tour, the Movistar Peru Classic is dealing with the challenging logistics of running at the ideal venue of Lobitos, whose sand-bottom left handers have been referred to as the "Superbank in reverse," while staff and surfers stay over an hour's drive north in Mancora. Despite today's less-than-ideal conditions, a good swell is expected Friday.

"There are some small waves out there this morning, but we've opted to call competition off for the day," Richie Porta, ASP Women's World Tour Head Judge, said. "Obviously, with the swell coming, we're opting to wait for much better conditions."

When competition commences, up first will be Melanie Bartels (HAW), 27, Rebecca Woods (AUS), 25, and Alana Blanchard (HAW), 19, doing battle in Heat 1 Round 1 of the Movistar Peru Classic. Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 7am for a possible 7:30am start.

The Movistar Peru Classic presented by Rip Curl will host the ASP Top 17 from November 3 - 8, 2009.

The event will be webcast LIVE via www.aspworldtour.com

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

According to the calendar set for the modernization project of PetroPeru's Talara Refinery, a public ceremony was held on October 30th for the official reception of Envelope Nº 1 (Technical Proposal) and Nº 2 (Economic Proposal), and the Opening of Envelope Nº 1 as well.

The Ad-Hoc committee in charge of the development of this process will proceed to the evaluation of the technical proposals received, and then, on November 20th, 2009, will inform about the results of the Technical Evaluation, carrying out in the same ceremony the Opening of Envelope Nº 2 (Economic Proposal).

The final choice will be officially announced on December 11th, 2009.

The contractor selected will be in charge of the manufacturing services and also of basic engineering, detail engineering, estimating costs, and finally the purchasing of equipment and the required construction for Talara Refinery Modernization Project.

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 Limenian district of Miraflores agreed to donate a 8,301 m2 lot, located near Cuartel San Martín (Saint Martin Fort), to be used for the construction of the future Museum of Memory.

The decision was taken by a general assembly that was closely followed via the Internet by Mario Vargas Llosa, the President of the special high-rank commission in charge of the project.

He said this is a “generous, idealistic and patriotic” gesture.

The novelist said that the Museum of Memory will be an institution that will allow Peruvians to remember the cruelty, the fanaticism, the intolerance and the violence, and also emphasized that it will not have any bias regarding any political preference.

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.