Coca farmer protests costing Ucayali some $5.37 million

Protests by coca leaf farmers in Peru’s Ucayali department have cost approximately 15 million soles ($5.37 million) since the farmers began demonstrations on Aug. 14, according to Dotti Flores, the general manager of the Ucayali Chamber of Commerce.

The farmers have blocked the Federico Basadre highway, which has prevented the flow of goods affecting the department’s economy. Construction companies, for example, are lacking cement and iron to advance works, state news agency Andina reported Flores as saying. Read more…

Gov’t backtracks, restores license for Radio La Voz

Peru’s Transportation and Communications Ministry has restored the broadcasting license for Radio La Voz de Bagua following meetings with national press freedom groups, newspaper La Republica reported.

The decision to restore the license was made following meetings with Press and Society Institute (IPYS), Peruvian Press Council, the National Association of Peruvian Journalists and national ombudsdman – the Defensoria del Pueblo.

“My first impressions are of infinite thanks to all of the groups and everyone who helped achieve this win,” the director of Radio La Voz, Carlos Flores, told Ideeleradio. Read more…

Report finds 78 percent of indigenous children living in poverty

A report presented by UNICEF and the national statistics and technology institute, INEI, has found that in Peru 78 percent of indigenous children between the ages of three and 17  live in poverty, compared to 40 percent for children whose first language is Spanish, state news agency Andina reported.

“The inequality is greatest among ethnic groups in the jungle where almost half the children [49%] live in conditions of extreme poverty,” said Martin Benavides, the executive director of research center Grade, which wrote the report. Read more…

Peru Gov’t won’t back away from canceling Radio La Voz’s license following Bagua protest broadcasts

Peru’s Transportation and Communications Ministry (MTC) will not rescind a resolution that canceled Radio La Voz’s broadcast license last year, the director of the radio station, Carlos Flores, told CNR news service.

MTC revoked Radio La Voz de Bagua’s broadcast license on June 8, 2009, three days after anti-government protests erupted on a remote jungle highway in the Bagua province of Amazonas department.

Leading members of President Alan García’s APRA party accused the station of inciting violence during the unrest. The official revocation order, however, made no reference to any alleged support of or incitement to violence, and justified the action on the grounds that the station had failed to meet the legal requirements set forth in its initial broadcasting permit from March 2007.

The deadly confrontation between protesters and Peruvian soldiers and police was the worst crisis since García took office in 2006. Read more…

Loreto regional president candidates propose indigenous-focused university

Candidates for the regional president of Peru’s north eastern Loreto department have proposed the creation of a university mainly for indigenous communities, daily La República reported.

The Intercultural University of the Amazon would work to improve the conditions of indigenous people in the department, where there are high levels of poverty.

“It would allow indigenous nationals to form their own teachers, their professionals and managers,” candidate Noe Malpartida said. “Without our own managers, it is not possible to have development. If it continues as it is, leaders will continue to send managers from [the city of] Iquitos and they won’t take into account indigenous people in the area.” Read more…

Peru’s executive repeals state of emergency in district following natural gas protests

Peru’s executive has repealed a state of emergency that was declared in early August in Echarate district in Cusco department, state news agency Andina reported.

President Alan Garcia signed the supreme decree on Wednesday to void the state of emergency, which suspends some constitutional rights including the freedom to hold meetings and of movement. Read more…

UNODC: Political parties need to keep drug money out of electoral campaigns

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called on political parties in Peru to increase measures to ensure that funds used in the country’s upcoming elections do not come from the drug trade, state news agency Andina reported.

UNODC representative Flavio Mirella said it will be important for parties “to be able to demonstrate that the sources for financing are licit.”

“Drug trafficking has very important financial powers, that’s why we have to prevent it from affecting electoral campaigns and candidates,” Mirella said. “Parties are called to double their supervision measures.” Read more…

Residents suspend protests over natural gas exports

Residents in the towns of Kiteni and Kepashiato in Cuzco deparmtent’s La Convención province have suspended protests over natural gas exports, according to reports in Peruvian media.

The decision to halt the demonstrations was made in order to establish a negotiating table on Monday, Aug. 9, newspaper La Republica reported.

The president of Cuzco department, Hugo Gonzales, said the protesters also want Peru’s government to repeal a state of emergency in the district of Echarate, which suspends some constitutional rights including the freedom to hold meetings and of movement.

The negotiating table will be created by the office of Prime Minister Javier Velásquez and include representatives from Peru’s ombudsman – the Defensoria del Pueblo – as well as the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. Read more…

Eighteen injured, 25 arrested in Cusco natural gas protests

At least 18 people have been injured and 25 arrested in southern Peru’s Cusco department during protests to export natural gas,  Peru’s ombudswoman Beatriz Merino said.

Merino told Radioprogramas that she received the information from the director of the Kiteni hospital, in Echarate district where there was a clash between demonstrators and police on Wednesday.

Local authorities and residents oppose exporting of natural gas, arguing that it should be used for internal demand. Read more…

Peru could see its poverty rate fall to 25 percent by 2015 – UNDP

Peru’s current policies and conditions could help the country reduce its poverty rate to 25 percent over the next five years, according to Rebeca Arias of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

In 2009, Peru’s poverty rate was 34.8 percent, according to the national statistics and information bureau, INEI. The poverty rate last year fell 1.4 percent from 2008 when it was 36.2 percent, which means that 290,000 people escaped poverty. Read more…

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