HSBC Sells Units In Peru, Colombia, Paraguay and UruguayFor $400 Million

HSBC Group said Friday that it has reached an agreement to sell its units in Peru, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay to Colombia’s GNB Sudameris for $400 million, Peruvian state news agency Andina reported.

The approval of the deal is subject to regulatory approvals in each of the jurisdictions, as well as other conditions.

Andina said that the sale of HSBC’s units in Colombia and Peru are expected to close in the last quarter of 2012, while the sale of its units in Paraguay and Uruguay Read more…

Peru Reiterates Position On Drug Legalization At Regional Summit

Foreign Relations Minister Rafael Roncagliolo has reiterated Peru’s position against legalizing drugs, state news agency Andina reported.

Roncagliolo made the comments at the Sixth Summit of the Americas, held during this past weekend in the Colombian coastal city of Cartagena. The issue of drug legalization was being touted as one of the big issues at the summit, as a number of Latin American leaders have hinted recently that this may be necessary in order to Read more…

Peru Anti-Drug Chief Says Won’t Support Drug Legalization Proposals

Peru’s anti-drug chief ruled out that the Andean country will support a growing call in the region to legalize drugs, an initiative that she says would do little to combat criminal groups that control the multi-billion dollar illicit trade.

Carmen Masias, the head of Peru’s anti-drug agency Devida, said however that although Peru is against the legalization of drugs it is open to discussing the issue at the upcoming Summit of the Americas in Colombia.

A number of current and former Latin American leaders have said that governments should consider legalizing drugs as a way to combat criminal groups Read more…

The Hague Sets Dates For Oral Arguments For Peru-Chile Maritime Dispute

December 3 is the date set for Peru and Chile to begin their oral arguments at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, over a long-time maritime border dispute, Peru’s Foreign Affairs minister Rafael Roncagliolo announced Thursday.

The hearings are expected to last until December 14, Roncagliolo said during an interview with RPP radio station.

“We have a date. The hearings are going to start with the presentation from Peruvian state’s agent, Ambassador Allan Wagner, on December 3, 2012,” he said.

Chile is to make its presentation on December 6-7, which will be followed by a Read more…

Peru Cancels Welcome to UK Frigate, To Back Argentina’s Falkland Claim

In a late call to the British Foreign Office on Tuesday, Peru attempted to explain it’s last minute decision to block the visit of Britain’s HMS Montrose, a Duke-class navy frigate, that was set to arrive at the port of Callao on Thursday.

Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Roncagliolo,  told state news agency Andina that the last-minute decision to withdraw its invitation was taken to show solidarity with Argentina, which has a long-standing dispute with Britain over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

No indication of this decision was given, however, during the visit in Lima only four days earlier of Jeremy Browne, the British Minister of State for Latin America, Read more…

Andean Nations Look To Harmonize Anti-Drug Policies

The Andean Community of Nations – which includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – is aiming to establish a program that will harmonize their anti-drug and alternative development policies, state news agency Andina reported.

Adalid Contreras, the secretary general of regional group, known as CAN, said the four countries are working on a proposal harmonize information on the drug trade that will support public policies.

“Its objective is to establish a program to harmonize data collection methods of Read more…

Presidents of Peru and Ecuador Hold Day-Long Binational Meeting

The Presidents of Peru and Ecuador, and their cabinet chiefs and ministers, are holding a full day of meetings today in the north coast city of Chiclayo, to discuss binational integration issues.  Members of Congress are also holding parallel meetings.

President Ollanta Humala welcomed President Rafael Correa shortly after 9:30am February 29 at the Gran Hotel Chiclayo, where most of the presentations and meetings are being held. Later in the afternoon, the formal signing of documents and agreements will take place at the iconic Lord of Sipan Museum, just north of the city in Lambayeque.

This is the fifth presidential meeting between both countries in the past 15 years, an effort initiated Read more…

Chile Re-opens Border After Clearing Landmines Dislodged by Flood

Chile re-opened its border crossing with Peru Wednesday morning, after closing it for emergency security reasons. Thousands of travelers on both sides of the border had to wait 48 hours until the restrictions were lifted.

The border was closed Monday after the Seco River in Arica flooded, dislodging anti-personnel landmines planted in the desert area.

According to Peru’s Immigration chief in Tacna, Rocío Orbegoso, the Chilean army stepped up the cleaning of the area to re-open the border some 24 hours earlier than originally scheduled.

Chile, a former producer and stockpiler of landmines and cluster munitions, signed Read more…

Peru, Colombia Sign Deal To Tackle Organized Crime On Border

Peru and Colombia agreed Wednesday to take joint actions to combat organized crime on their porous border region, state news agency Andina reported.

The agreement was announced by Peruvian Defense Minister Alberto Otarola and his Colombian counterpart, Juan Carlos Pinzon, in Bogota.

Otarola said the Andean countries agreed to work together along their Amazonian border to combat drug trafficking, illegal mining and logging, human trafficking and the Read more…

Peru Backs Argentina Claim Over Falkland Islands

Peru’s government on Friday reiterated its support of Argentina in its longtime dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean some 300 miles from the South American nation.

Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Roncagliolo said, however, that it is necessary for both countries to negotiate a solution to their conflict within Read more…

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