Former Ombudsman Appointed as Peru Representative to OAS

Peru’s former ombudsman, Walter Alban, has been appointed to be the country’s permanent representative to the Washington D.C.-based Organization of the American States, OAS. Alban was Peru’s acting ombudsman, known as the Defensor del Pueblo, from 2000 to 2005, during the administration of ex-President Alejandro Toledo. He was succeeded by Beatriz Merino in 2005. In 2008, [...]

Peru sees 214 social conflicts in July – Defensoria

Peru’s national ombudsman, the Defensoria del Pueblo, said Tuesday that it registered 214 social conflicts in the country in July. Social conflicts soared during ex-President Alan Garcia’s administration, leading to numerous deaths as well as delays to many mining and energy projects. According to the Defensoria, 118 of the conflicts are related to socio-environmental issues. Twenty-two [...]

Ex-PM Simon urges Humala to focus on conflicts in central, southern Peru

The incoming government of President-elect Ollanta Humala will need to provide more attention to central and southern Peru in order to reduce social conflicts, said former Prime Minister Yehude Simon. Simon recommends Humala form a team aimed at preventing protests, state news agency Andina reported. Over the past few months, social conflicts have led to numerous [...]

Congress to hold second vote to approve new ombudsman on June 14

Peru’s Congress will hold another vote on Tuesday (June 14) to elect a new ombudsman, state news agency Andina reported the president of Congress, Cesar Zumaeta, as saying. The former dean of the Lima Bar Association and publisher of Gaceta Juridica, Walter Gutierrez, has been nominated to the post. Congress held a vote this week [...]

Peruvian Red Cross ships more than 50 tons of warm clothing and blankets to areas affected by extreme cold

As part of its “Together against the Cold” Campaign, the Peruvian Red Cross has shipped more than 50 tons of warm clothing, blankets and medicine to 11,290 families throughout Peru’s southern Altiplano, including Cuzco, Puno, Apurimac and Huancavelica. The blankets and clothing were shipped by private companies, and with the financial and technical support of [...]

Peru Ombudsman’s Office recommends new law to improve quality of police force

Peru’s Ombudswoman, Beatriz Merino, published a report Friday, recommending a public policy for the police force, to eliminate bribery at police stations and stamp out mistreatment of the public. In February, the new minister of the Interior, Mercedes Cabanillas, asked Merino to work jointly with the ministry to improve the police system. Merino’s integrated proposal [...]

Peru Ombudsman’s Office presses for sanctions against company illegally dumping waste water into shantytown’s irrigation overflow canal

Peru’s Ombudswoman, Beatriz Merino, is calling for immediate action to be taken against the Chalaco Corporation, a company which has been illegally dumping waste water into a shantytown’s irrigation overflow canal, exposing approximately 19,000 people to infectious and possibly contagious disease. “According to a report — which was made public by the Callao Regional Health [...]

Peru Ombudsman urges new Minister of Interior to stamp out police bribery

Peru’s public ombudsman, Beatriz Merino, has called on the new minister of the Interior, Mercedes Cabanillas, to eliminate bribery at police stations and stamp out mistreatment of the public. Merino’s announcement was in response to Cabanillas’ request, made when she was sworn in as minister Thursday, that the Public Ombudsman office work jointly with the [...]