Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Some 53 civilians and 17 policemen were injured during some clashes Abancay (Apurimac), whose population is observing an indefinite strike that is lasting 12 days at present, according to Coordinadora Nacional de Radio.

The riots started around 6pm when a crowd of demonstrators, mostly students, tried to take the building of the Apurimac Regional Government.

Carlos Medel, head of the 16th Territorial Police Directorate (DIRTEPOL) said that fatalities have not been reported.

Medel also denied the versions indicating that 20 persons are missing, arguing that the police officers used only tear gas and pellets to disperse the crowd.

Abancay EsSalud hospital reported 15 injured (one of them by gun) wounded, while the Public Health Sector Hospital has reported 38 in, four of which have gun shots injuries.

The incidents occurred despite the fact that the regional council, reunited in Curahuasi, agreed to reformulate the 2010 budget.

Some leaders warned that they will not stop until they the regional president David Salazar resigns to the charge.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

This week many Peruvians, as well as the international community, were in shock over allegations that a criminal gang killed people - perhaps as many as 60 – to extract the fat from their bodies to sell it to companies that make cosmetics.

However, many people are expressing doubts on this horror story, especially Peruvian citizens over 40, who have seen the “pishtaco” Andean myth jump to the Peruvian press headlines every few years during all their lives.

In the mythology of Andean cultures, a “pishtaco” (or nakaq) is a devil that kills people to steal their body fat, which was allegedly very highly priced many years ago for cosmetics and medicinal uses.

Serapio Veramendi and some other accomplices were arrested this week after a routine police raid on buses travelling from the provinces to Lima found lemonade bottles filled with fat, that later laboratory tests proved to be human.

According to police reports, Veramendi explained that those were “sample material,” and that the band had collected 17 litres of fat, expecting to sell it to cosmetics firms for 15,000 dollars per litre.

While investigations continue, people like Peruvian Medical Association dean Julio Castro Gomez remain unconvinced of the story, noting that plastic surgery clinics obtain large amounts of fat in liposuction procedures and discard it because there is no market for it.

Also many Peruvians remember that stories like this one, or like the ones related to Virgin Mary images that allegedly do cry miraculous tears, as well as other urban legends, tend to appear on local press during in times when the Governments are facing difficulties.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Peruvian government signed Thursday a Budgetary Support Agreement with the European Union, which will allocated US $90.6 million dollars (during 4 years and a half) to to combat chronic child malnutrition in the interior of Peru, according to Andina news agency.

The agreement, which is called Euro-Pan Budget Support Program, is a new form of cooperation received by countries with efficient and transparent institutions, so the money will be transferred directly to the Public Sector Budget.

According to the press release, this is the first operation of its kind conducted in Peru, which will receive the largest budget support throughout Latin America.

The program aims to help reduce chronic child malnutrition, especially in Apurimac, Ayacucho and Huancavelica, regions that have a chronic malnutrition rate much higher than the national average.

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 Strike Committee and the Frente de Defensa de Espinar (Front for Defense of the Interests of Espinar District) did not accept the proposal made by the Prime Minister Javier Velásquez Quesquén, and resumed their strike, announcing they will take more radical actions, breaking the truce they had agreed  upon.

The Espinar people do not agree with the projected usage of the waters of the Apurimac River in favor of draft-Siguas Majes II, so they are against the construction of the Angostura Dam, which (according to the villagers) would damage their water supply.

Apart from halting activities in the city, protesters are taking control of bridges, and currently more than 3,000 people are blocking the road Arequipa-Juliaca, according to La Republica.

According to Nestor Cuti, representative of the Frente de Defensa de Espinar, they are expecting that more than 15,000 people are to join the protests (which started on November 9th) today.

Cuti claims that the projected Angostura Dam would run the river dry, which is their only source of water for agricultural and for human consumption as well.

“At present we have water supply only two hours a day. If this  dam is built, we will not have water at all,” he said.

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

Peru's Housing Minister arrived in Ica along with the Deputy Minister David Ramos, and after hearing complaints from the villagers, he asked them "to be patient."

Representatives of the Federación de Pueblos Jóvenes (the Shanty Towns' Federation) were complaining about the slowness of construction after 2007 earthquake that hit Ica, Chincha and Pisco.

"The government has the willingness to help you, in the rebuilding of the zone, but there is not enough funding. Rebuilding cannot be done at once; it is a long process to be done in the best way," he said.

After talking briefly to the residents of the zone, Sarmiento Soto went to the district San José de los Molinos  to supervise works done on sewage systems and water supply.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The authorities of the province of Espinar (Cusco) agreed to a five day truce, and will suspend the indefinite strike in order to coordinate and find solutions, said the Mayor, Eloy Chancayauri.

The strike in the town is being coordinated by the Comité de Lucha (Strike Committee), after having met with Prime Minister Javier Velasquez, and is not led by the municipal authorities, said the Mayor.

"This is basically a measure taken to take care of the region's ecological wealths. They are requesting that the Angostura project should be postponed until February, or when they have completed the environmental impact study," he said.

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

A new case of a newborn who weights a little more than 500 grams was registered in the city of Trujillo.

The baby is Milagros Zavala Chávez, who was born ten days ago, after only 25 weeks of pregnancy, and weights only 600 grams.

The baby is currently staying at Intensive Care Unit at Belen Hospital in Trujillo.

According to the doctors in charge of her case, her health is fragile but she's maintaining stable in an incubator.

They said that despite of her premature birth, the girl doesn't need a catheter, like other babies in the same condition.

Last April, Little Berselia Milagros was born at 23 weeks of gestation with 470 grams at Pacasmayo Province in La Libertad. She survived and was discharged and sent home, but sadly she she died four months after her birth, due to pneumonia.

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 official figures from the National Directorate of Migration and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Peru is the home of 64,303 foreign residents, from which 14% come from Argentina.

Peru's National Statistics Institute (INEI) has published this, and much more relevant data, in the book "International Migration amongst Peruvian families and Profile of Peruvian returnees."

Meanwhile, the second largest community in Peru is the American (US), with approximately 5,800 (9.1%), while 655 Chileans represent 8.8% of foreigners in Peru.

The next communities are Bolivian (4,549 or 7.1%), Colombian (4,353 or 6.8%), Brazilians (3,626 or 5.6%), Spanish (3,484 or 5.4%) and Chinese (3,240).

62.3% of these residents live in Lima, while 5.2% live in La Libertad and 3.7% in Arequipa.

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 recent announcement that “El Niño” will hit Peru next year has not gone unnoticed by the authorities of Cajamarca region, who have budgeted S/. 12 million soles (almost US $4 million dollars) to be prepared for its impact.

From this budget, S/. 11 million have already been disbursed in the rehabilitation and improvement of health facilities in the region, as well in their provisions of medicines.

The remaining million soles will be used to address urgent issues which may arise when the bad weather actually hits the region, said Oswaldo Cabanillas Angulo, an epidemiologist at the Regional Health Directorate.

The provinces of San Ignacio, Cutervo, Jaen, Santa Cruz and Contumaza would be hardest hit, said Cabanillas.

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

Margarita Torres, at the age of 115, recieved her first ID or National Document of Identity (DNI) at her home in Vista Alegre, Anta District, at Acobamba Province in Huancavelica.

"Mom Margarita," as her relatives call her, didn't have a Birth Certificate nor a DNI so the RENIEC (Nacional Registry of Identity and Civil Status) recorders/registers processed her documents for free.

Enrique Fortuno De la Cruz, Huancavelica's Regional Chief of RENIEC, visited Margarita to give her her DNI at home, 3,900 meters above sea level.

The old woman was born on April 15th, 1894; had four children, sixteen grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

"Mom Margarita," who only speaks Quechua, expressed her happiness after getting her first official document.

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.