The Peru Pishtacos [Featured]

This long told urban myth in Peru about the “Pishtacos” that has now gone global – like many of Peru’s inventions – currently has police chiefs in hot water.

So little progress has been made on the investigation, and so little evidence uncovered that the regularly ridiculed national police of Peru are being taken even less seriously. “What’s next?”, people ask, “ghosts, goblins and vampires?”.

December 1, 2009 | News

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Hundreds of Sea Lions poisoned in Colán

A terrible sight on Piura’s most picturesque beach – hundreds of Sea Lions washed up dead on the white sands. In front of homes and hotels, the bodies of these animals rot, all so that the fishermen that poisoned them can continue dangerous and unsustainable over-fishing the seas.

November 14, 2009 | Nature, News

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The tale of the stolen, but not so stolen, human lung

It is an exhibition that has excited, enthralled and disgusted its visitors successfully in equal measure since it was conceived and went on tour around the world. Bodies:The Exhibition features real human corpses, preserved, their skin removed and their internal organs on display for all to see. I myself had visited two years ago in Buenos Aires, and it is definitely something I’ll remember. It’s a cross between a freak-show and a serious educational experience. It then finally came to Lima, Peru, and became a scandal for a less predictable reason.

November 12, 2009 | News, Opinion

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Poachers return to the southern Andes killing thousands of vicuñas

The silent massacres continue as fur poachers return to the southern Andes. Without mercy they kill and skin the endangered animals for their fur to smuggle to Argentina for sale on international markets. Lack of government protection of wilderness reserves leave locals without help.

October 16, 2009 | News, Opinion

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Fujimori’s mega-trial draws to a close [Featured]

The BBC’s Dan Collyns sums up the trial of President-come-Dictator Alberto Fujimori. He has been found guilty on human-rights abuse charges stemming from Peru’s so-called “dirty war” of the early 1990s, in which 70,000 people died as Maoist guerillas ravished the country.

Fujimori served as Peru’s president from 1990 to 2000, at the height of the country’s war with the radical Maoist Shining Path guerrillas and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. He is accused of authorizing slayings and kidnappings that were carried out by paramilitary death squads in 1991 and 1992 during what is often referred to as Peru’s “dirty war.”

April 7, 2009 | Culture & History, News

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Huaca Huantille

The Huaca Huantille was one of countless archaeological sites lost among the urban sprawl of Lima, forgotten and neglected. That was until Francis Allison, mayor of the district of Magdalena del Mar where the pyramidal structure is located, decided to try to restore it along with the run down neighbourhood it is located in.

April 6, 2009 | Archaeology, Lima City Guide

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Female Traffic cops rule the streets of Lima

Peru’s transit police aren’t famous for their honesty or work ethic. Anything but. In line with all Government employees, they are so underpaid that they see corruption as the only way to make a decent living. For transit police, this usually involves pulling over those drivers who violate traffic laws and writing up a ticket… a ticket that can be ripped up on the spot though, should you be kind enough to collaborate with a little lunch money, beer money, a holiday bonus if it is nearing Christmas, or even money for gasoline.

March 7, 2009 | Lima City Guide, News, Opinion

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Part 3: A visit to the men’s prison in San Juan del Lurigancho [Featured]

Junior Moya is a Peruvian living in Lima who recently had the opportunity to visit the infamous men’s prison located in the run down district of San Juan de Lurigancho. In three parts, he tells us of his experience. (Thanks Junior!)

January 30, 2009 | Opinion

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Part 2: A visit to the men’s prison in San Juan del Lurigancho [Featured]

Junior Moya is a Peruvian living in Lima who recently had the opportunity to visit the infamous men’s prison located in the run down district of San Juan de Lurigancho. In three parts, he tells us of his experience. (Thanks Junior!)

January 29, 2009 | Opinion

3 Comments

Part 1: A visit to the men’s prison in San Juan del Lurigancho [Featured]

Junior Moya is a Peruvian living in Lima who recently had the opportunity to visit the infamous men’s prison located in the run down district of San Juan de Lurigancho. In three parts, he tells us of his experience. (Thanks Junior!)

January 28, 2009 | Opinion

4 Comments

Bosque de Pomac squatters murder unarmed police officers

Famous Japanese archaeologist Izumi Shimada brought to our attention not many months ago the systematic destruction of the Sicán pyramids and algarobo forests by invasores – squatters who illegaly occupy land. Rushing to Peru and forced to abandon his teaching position in South Illinois University, he attempted to make local authorities to take action. Unfortunately, regional police chief Víctor Ordinola explained his force was too busy preparing for independence day festivities.

It had been almost 7 years since the natural and archaeological sanctuary of the Bosque de Pomac had been invaded and settled. The destruction was immediate, with vast areas of natural habitat for endangered species destroyed. With the destruction of part of an ancient Sicán temple, and after a six month delay, local authorities yesterday decided to act.

January 21, 2009 | News

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Polvos Rosados Raid

I wrote some time ago about DVD piracy in Peru, and why its not all that wrong. Unfortunately, the United States, itself pressured by Holywood, puts considerable pressure on poor countries to use policing resources that are probably best used elsewhere to catch the evil pirates.

Not long ago I took these photos of an attempted police raid on the Polvos Rosados market. In the end nothing happened due to the resistance of the stall holders who blocked the door and were throwing small objects.

August 11, 2008 | Opinion

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