Chilean lawmakers put the brakes on free trade talks with Peru

Chile’s Congress has rescinded the fast-track status of a Senate bill seeking free trade negotiations with Peru, citing Peru’s decision to file suite in the International Court of Justice in The Hague to settle the maritime border dispute between the two nations. Peru’s Foreign Minister José Antonio Garcia Belaunde told reporters that Chilean lawmaker were [...]

Peru president proposes creation of Environment Ministry

Peru President Alan García has proposed the creation of an Environment Ministry to meet the environmental provisions included in the free trade agreement with the United States. During the ceremony of four new cabinet ministers yesterday, García said “the free trade agreement has brought a fundamental call to attention, that we owe to our Democrat [...]

Global warming impact: Peru’s Pastoruri glacier recedes into two patches of ice

In just the past six months, Peru’s Pastoruri glacier in the Cordillera Blanca mountains has receded into two quickly vanishing patches of ice. The Cordillera Blanca mountain range — the largest and highest tropical glacier chain in the world — contained 723 square kilometers of glacial ice 1970, diminished in size to 611 square kilometers [...]

New ministers sworn in by Peru president

Four new ministers were sworn in today by Peru President Alan García in a Cabinet shuffle intended to inject new energy into the government, incorporate independents, and begin moving ahead on some of the reforms and promises offered during the presidential campaign 18 months ago. Jorge del Castillo remains as cabinet chief. The new ministers [...]

Peru meteorite 4.5 billion-years-old

Scientists have dated the meteorite that smashed into southern Peru last September to 4.5 billion-years-old. According to the Geological Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, INGEMMET, the meteorite was formed around the same time as the sun, Earth and other planets in the solar system. The Institutional Relations and Cooperation director at INGEMMET, Hernán Núñez del [...]

Bush signs free trade deal with Peru into law: An alternative analysis and perspective

Peru will loom slightly larger than usual in the headlines in U.S. newspapers this weekend after President George W. Bush signed into law a free trade agreement between the two nations. The bill passed following a contentious feud in Congress that ended only after Republicans agreed to Democratic demands to include labor union protection and [...]

Amazon Watch: Activists warn against financing Peru Camisea gas project

A delegation of human rights and environmental activists from Peru appealed to officials from the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) yesterday to reject future loans to the Camisea gas project. The delegation argued that the banks would be breaching their social and environmental safeguard standards if they approve [...]

Peru’s Fujimori angrily declares his innocence in human rights abuse trial opener

Jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori flailed his arms and his voice cracked with indignation Monday as he declared his innocence during the first day of trial on charges he sanctioned a paramilitary death squad to gun down suspected guerrilla sympathizers. Presiding Tribunal Judge Cesar San Martin called Fujimori to order and instructed him to simply plead [...]

Agencia Andina: Peru’s army to receive $3.3 million to finish earthquake cleanup

Presidential Cabinet Chief Jorge Del Castillo said 10 million soles, or about $3.3 million, will be allocated to Peru’s army to finish the cleanup from the magnitude-8 earthquake that devastated Peru’s southern coast last August, the government news agency Andina reported Sunday.

Specter of Shining Path dragged out ahead of Fujimori trial

Jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori is scheduled to face his first human rights abuse trial Dec. 10 to answer for his regime’s brutal excesses to tame the Shining Path insurgency during his 10-year rule. Coincidently, members of his political party spent all last week trying to muster support for a vote of censure against President Alan [...]

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