LATEST NEWS & INFORMATION FROM AND AROUND PERU

Here your find all of the latest press publications and information about Peru - news about traveling and tourism in general as well as latest developments and exciting information about Peru.

MORE SPACE FOR "MUMMY JUANITA"

The Museum of Andean Sanctuaries which displays the Ice Maiden is about to open three additional rooms for exhibition. The ambition is to show the visitors new discoveries made in graves and offering sites in Arequipa and surroundings. Actually, the complex has five showrooms which can be visited. Mummy Juanita was discovered on Mount Ampato in 1995 and is remarkably well-preserved after 500 years, due to chily weather-conditions (natural mummification). The body was owned by an Inca girl who was approximately 14 years old before she was sacrified sometime between 1440 and 1530.

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NEW FOREIGN TRADE AND TOURISM MINISTER IN PERU

Last weekend, the UN congressman Martín Pérez attested his new ministry on oath in presence of the Peruvian president Alan García Pérez. The new minister for foreign trade and tourism is a succesful executive director in the section strategy, administration and commerce since 15 years. He studied business management at the Pacific University in Lima and specialized his studies in marketing and finances. Afterwards, he took courses in international management and business strategy and successfully completed a programme for company management at the University of Piura. His precursor Mercedes Aráoz will take over the ministry for production. Both ministers will work in the same building and soon present their new teams.

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NEW TRAVEL GUIDE PUBLISHED ABOUT THE REGION OF LIMA

The department of Lima is celebrating: there is no doubt that the South of Peru constitutes the main tourist area for national and international tourists but now designer and photographer César A. Vega promotes in his travel guide "Del mar a los Andes, Lima: Turismo, Rutas y Costumbres" (in English "From the Sea to the Andes, Lima: Tourism, Itineraries and Customs") the attractive region of Lima. In his book, he documents in a detailed way all appealing tourism assets of every single province of Lima. Vivid pictures and precise descriptions of a range of trekking itineraries, cultural sights and hidden natural wonders invite every reader to escape into the world of rural tourism in Lima. Next to practical insider tips and true to scale maps, the guide also contains a chapter about adventure tourism so that especially sportsmen will get their money's worth. The editor and photographer already gained an excellent reputation with former travel publications about Peru's natural and cultural resources and recently, they started with their new project: by car through the amazing South of Peru.

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CURRENT SITUATION IN PERU

Last Friday, on World Environment Day, indigenous protestors of the region Bagua, situated in the northeastern rain forest of the Peruvian Amazon, fought with armed forces of the national police. In total, more than 30 persons died - most of them were policemen - and about 150 people were injured. The conflict was already visible in April 2009 when locals demonstrated against the government's decision of implementing the NAFTA with the United States and exploring the existent oil resources in the rain forest. The indigenous people demonstrated their disagreement by cutting off access ways to the oil drilling stations through street blockages which, in the end, were stroked down rigorously by the police. Almost one week after the incident, daily routine finds its way back into the originally peaceful province. Also the governmental tourism board PromPeru is relieved: tourists were not affected by the agitation as the region is neither developed nor accessible for tourism yet. The disagreements did not and will not affect tourism.

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WILL CARAL BE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

The UNESCO recently announced that a meeting of the World Heritage Committee will be held from 22 to 30 June in which the request of the ancient city Caral for the inscription on the World Heritage List will be evaluated. With 5.000 years of history, Caral is one of the oldest ruin complexes of South America. Representatives of the UNESCO already visited Caral in September 2008 for the first time and started examinations. The Peruvian government considers the potential declaration of Caral as a future World Heritage Site as a good opportunity to boost tourism in this region of Peru. In Seville, the World Heritage Committee will evaluate in total thirty candidates of different categories. Caral was nominated as a cultural site for the World Heritage List in 2005 but still it is not yet predictable when the final decision about the city's future will be made.

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THE LORD OF SIPAN IN LIMA

The Peruvian President Alan Garcia himself opened the doors of the Government Palace in Lima on April 25th for the exhibition Tumbas Reales de Sipan which can be visited until 9th of May. It is the second public exhibition that residents inside the holy halls this year. After pieces from Paracas, in "Tumbas Reales" are presented tracts of the such named museum in Chiclayo. Beside an artificial reconstruction of the grave of the Lord of Sipan, a monarch of the Mochicha culture, you can marvel at ornaments and works of art made of gold and ceramic. As a special attraction, the Señor de Sipan itself shines in his golden armament, accompanied by his entourage - an original lending from the museum. The exhibition opens his doors on Monday - Friday, 9.00 am - 8.00 pm, the entrance is free.

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ALBERTO FUJIMORI TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON SENTENCED

The former president of Peru Alberto Fujimori was on Tuesday, 07. April 2009 sentenced to 25 years in prison because of human rights abuse. This was the end of a 14 months long criminal proceeding. The pronouncement of the conviction was given under strict security measures around the courthouse. Main points of the hearing were two massacres in the early nineties. In the course of fighting the terrorism “Shining Path” and “Tupac Amaru” his troops shot 15 people and one child at a private party. A comparable scenario was given when nine students and one professor were kidnapped and killed through a shot in the neck. The 70-year old accused is responsible of those two massacres with a total of 25 deaths and two cases of kidnapping. In the end of 2007 the ex-president with Japanese roots was already accused of misuse of power. Two more processes because of corruption und election fraud are already waiting for him.

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PERULINE WISHES YOU HAPPY EASTER

While the days and weather in Lima is autumnal, yet, spring is entering Europe after a long, hard winter. peruline wishes you and your beloved ones a Happy Easter with some silent days to relax and renew forces. During Easter holidays, our office in Lima is closed from 9th to 12th of April. During this time, you just reach us via e-mail at info@peruline.com. Starting the 13th of April we attend you personally again. Our call center in Passau is closed between 9th and 13th of April and opens again on Tuesday after Easter. Happy Easter or ¡Felices Pascuas! sends you your peruline-Team!

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INTERNATIONAL TROPHY „GOLDENER BÄR“ GOES TO PERU

At the 59th International Filmfestival in Berlin Peru won the trophy “Goldener Bär”. The Peruvian director Claudia Llosa hit the first place with her film “La Teta Asustada” (The Milk of Sorrow). Her film was the best of 18 international competitors. The story of the film is about terrorism in the years 1980 to 2000 when the organization “Illuminated Path” was the most feared word amongst the Peruvian people. This was the first time that this trophy went to Peru and even so the first participation of this country at the Berlinale. The international jury declared unanimously the Peruvian film to the favorite of the evening. We say: Congratulations!

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INCATRAIL CLOSED

Like every year the Incatrail is closed in February and not available for visitors. The reasons for this temporary closing are the rains in the highlands. It could come to danger for hikers, because of landslips effectuated by the rain. The month of February, while the Trek is closed, will also be used to upkeep the route. Anyway the regular visit of Machu Picchu by train is not affected. Trains are operating normally from Cusco and the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes. The Incatrail will be available again at 1st of March. Due to the high demand of this Trekking-Classic, we recommend to reserve your tickets as soon as possible, to have the opportunity to enter the "lost city of the Inca" through the sun gate.

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Find more news from the last months in our archives of 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008