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Tag: Lima

  • Peru’s new interim leader oversees prison raids in bid to get tough on surging crime

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    LIMA, Peru (AP) — In one of his first acts as interim president of Peru, José Jerí on Saturday led a series of raids on prisons holding gang leaders nationwide, the presidency said, a day after the ouster of his deeply unpopular predecessor over her failure to curb rising crime.

    Flanked by elite officers and wearing a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the 38-year-old Jerí signaled a tough-on-crime message as he strode into the maximum-security Ancón I prison in Peru’s capital of Lima on Saturday to oversee cell-to-cell searches for contraband. The prison sweep turned up smuggled cellphones, drugs and sharp objects used as weapons, authorities said.

    Jerí’s visit to Ancón I coincided with raids at three other prisons across Peru, the president’s office reported, including Lima’s overcrowded Lurigancho prison, Challapalca maximum-security prison in the high Andes and El Milagro prison in the country’s north.

    The pre-dawn prison crackdown follows the lightning impeachment of former President Dina Boluarte, just hours after a shooting at a concert in Lima on Friday inflamed public outrage over a wave of gang violence washing over the South American nation. Boluarte’s tenure was also plagued by frequent protests and corruption scandals.

    As president of Congress, Jerí was next in line to assume power after lawmakers removed Boluarte. The conservative lawyer is expected to hold the top job until July 2026, after the country chooses a new president in general elections scheduled for April 12.

    He quickly declared his priority was tackling Peru’s rampant lawlessness.

    “The evil that afflicts us at this moment is public insecurity,” Jerí told lawmakers after his swearing-in Friday. “The main enemy is out on the streets. Criminal gangs, criminal organizations, they are our enemies today.”

    Killings in Peru have surged recently, from 2,082 homicides recorded last year — half of them contract killings — up from just 676 in 2017, the previous record high.

    Extortion cases have skyrocketed from 16,333 in 2022 to 22,348 last year as criminal gangs increasingly extract “protection” fees from a growing number of businesses, from music bands to transport firms.

    Peru’s insecurity crisis has been exacerbated by political turmoil gripping the country since 2018. In the past seven years, the nation has seen seven presidents. Three were impeached — including Boluarte — and two others resigned to avoid removal.

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  • 2026 Esports World Finals are coming to Los Angeles and El Segundo

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    The city of Los Angeles, an epicenter of sport championship events, is adding yet another tournament to its host list: global competitive esports.

    The Global Esports Federation announced Tuesday that it had selected the city of Los Angeles to host the 2026 Global Esports World Finals Games, with the Los Angeles Times Media Group serving as a host partner.

    “The Los Angeles 2026 games will stand as a symbol of how esports is shaping the next generation, driving opportunity for building digital skills and inspiring cultural change,” said Paul Foster, CEO of the Global Esports Federation, from The Times building in El Segundo.

    The media group will embark on reinventing a warehouse adjacent to The Times building, off of Imperial Highway, which will become a virtual arena for players and spectators, said Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Los Angeles Times Media Group’s executive chairman.

    “We now have a challenge where by July 2026, Los Angeles’ first and largest global esports stadium will have to be built on this campus and El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel has graciously given us his support,” Soon-Shiong said.

    The arena will house the weeklong competition and event celebration slated for Dec. 4, 2026.

    Los Angeles and El Segundo beat out eight other international cities prior to selection, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the two cities were uniquely positioned to host the global event. “We are adding yet another major international event to the lineup, showing that Los Angeles is where the world comes to compete in every form, from the field to the arena to the digital stage.”

    This is the first time the esports world finals will be hosted in the United States. The relatively new global competition has been held previously in Singapore, Istanbul, Riyadh and Lima.

    The competitive video gaming event will feature a mix of team sports and individual games and an estimated 1,000 athletes representing more than 100 countries.

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  • Actor Orlando Brown pleads not guilty to assault charges

    Actor Orlando Brown pleads not guilty to assault charges

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Former child star Orlando Brown has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges stemming from an alleged altercation in Lima, Ohio.

    According to Allen County Sheriff’s Office records, the 35-year-old Brown was taken into custody Thursday morning and held on a $25,000 bond. He was arraigned Friday in Lima Municipal Court and charged with aggravated menacing, the Los Angeles Times reported.

    Police told the Times that they had been summoned to a home and witnessed a verbal argument they feared could turn violent.

    The Times said an attorney had not yet been assigned to represent Brown.

    Brown, best known for the Disney Channel series “That’s So Raven,” has had numerous legal and other personal troubles, including charges of domestic battery, resisting arrest and drug possession.

    He has been in out of medical and rehabilitation facilities. In 2018 he reached out for help to Dr. Phil McGraw, who brought him onto his television show to discuss Brown’s struggles.

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  • Actor Orlando Brown pleads not guilty to assault charges

    Actor Orlando Brown pleads not guilty to assault charges

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    NEW YORK — Former child star Orlando Brown has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges stemming from an alleged altercation in Lima, Ohio.

    According to Allen County Sheriff’s Office records, the 35-year-old Brown was taken into custody Thursday morning and held on a $25,000 bond. He was arraigned Friday in Lima Municipal Court and charged with aggravated menacing, the Los Angeles Times reported.

    Police told the Times that they had been summoned to a home and witnessed a verbal argument they feared could turn violent.

    The Times said an attorney had not yet been assigned to represent Brown.

    Brown, best known for the Disney Channel series “That’s So Raven,” has had numerous legal and other personal troubles, including charges of domestic battery, resisting arrest and drug possession.

    He has been in out of medical and rehabilitation facilities. In 2018 he reached out for help to Dr. Phil McGraw, who brought him onto his television show to discuss Brown’s struggles.

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  • Peru Congress opens door to early elections amid unrest

    Peru Congress opens door to early elections amid unrest

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    LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s Congress tentatively endorsed a plan on Tuesday to hold early elections in an attempt to defuse a national political crisis marked by deadly unrest after lawmakers ousted President Pedro Castillo.

    The proposal, approved by 91 of the legislature’s 130 members, would push up to April 2024 elections for president and congress originally scheduled for 2026. The plan — which seeks to add one article to Peru’s constitution — must be ratified by another two-thirds majority in the next annual legislative session for it to be adopted.

    The measure has the backing of caretaker President Dina Boluarte, who took over from Castillo after the former schoolteacher tried to dissolve Congress on Dec. 7 — a move widely condemned by even his leftist supporters though it touched off deadly nationwide protests that continue. After the failed move, Castillo was swiftly arrested.

    The early elections proposal failed to muster enough votes last week after leftist lawmakers abstained, conditioning their support on the promise of a constitutional assembly to overhaul Peru’s political charter — something that conservatives denounce as putting Peru’s free market economic model at risk. On Tuesday, they dropped that demand.

    “Don’t be blind,” Boluarte said over the weekend, slamming lawmakers for not listening to voters’ demands. “Look at the people and take action in line with what they are asking.”

    But even as Boluarte seeks to restore order, her caretaker government is being buffeted by fellow leftists. Chief among them is Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has sharply critized Peru’s conservative media and business establishment for the classist, sometimes bigoted way it portrayed Castillo during his 17-month presidency.

    On Tuesday, Boluarte’s government expelled Mexico’s ambassador, giving him 72 hours to leave the country, in protest of what it said was López Obrador’s repeated and “unacceptable interference” in Peru’s internal affairs.

    “The statements by the Mexican president are especially grave considering the violence in our country, which is incompatible with the legitimate right of every individual to protest peacefully,” Peru’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

    The Peruvian statement was issued hours after López Obrador’s government said it was granting asylum to Castillo’s family, which took refuge at Mexico’s embassy in Lima and is awaiting safe passage out of the country.

    Castillo, a political novice who lived in a two-story adobe home in the Andean highlands before moving to the presidential palace, eked out a narrow victory in elections last year that rocked Peru’s political establishment and laid bare the deep divisions between residents of the vibrant capital, Lima, and the long-neglected countryside.

    Castillo’s attempts to break a stalemate with hostile lawmakers by trying to dissolve Congress only deepened those tensions. Within hours of his attempted power grab, he was ousted by Congress and jailed facing a criminal investigation, accused of trying to usurp power in violation of the constitution.

    Mexico’s president has reiterated his willingness to grant asylum to Castillo, who was intercepted by protesters and security forces while trying to flee to the Mexican Embassy in Lima after his bid to shutter Congress backfired.

    On Monday, he said that if lawmakers reject early elections and cling to power, and the president stays, then “everything will have to be achieved by force and repression, leading to a great deal of suffering an instability for the people.”

    Boluarte, who has the backing of U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration and fluently speaks the native Quechua language of many protesters, has struggled to restore order since Castillo’s arrest.

    In several parts of the country, protesters who voted for her and Castillo’s ticket last year have defied a 30-day state of emergency and taken to the streets to demand her immediate resignation.

    The death toll from the unrest rose to 26 on Monday after security forces firing tear gas dispersed thousands of wildcat miners who cut off the Pan-American Highway at two vital chokepoints for more than a week, forcing truckers to dump spoiled food and fish bound for market. Hundreds have been injured.

    Should lawmakers decide to push up elections, they would in essence be throwing themselves out of work. Under Peru’s constitution, the 130 members of Congress are entitled to serve only a single term.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman in Miami and Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.

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  • Peru president proposes moving up elections amid protests

    Peru president proposes moving up elections amid protests

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    LIMA, Peru — Peru’s newest president, Dina Boluarte, gave in to protesters’ demands early Monday announcing in a nationally televised address that she will send Congress a proposal to move up elections.

    Boluarte’s decision came after thousands of demonstrators took to the streets around Peru for another day on Sunday to demand that she resign and schedule elections to replace her and Congress. The protests turned deadly, with at least two reported deaths in a remote community in the Andes, according to officials.

    Boluarte said she will propose the scheduling of general elections for April 2024. That marks a reversal as she had previously said she should be allowed to hold the office for the remaining 3 1/2 years of her predecessor’s term.

    “My duty as president of the republic in the current difficult time is to interpret, read and collect the aspirations, interests and concerns, if not of all, of the vast majority of Peruvians,” Boluarte said. “So, interpreting in the broadest way the will of the citizens… I have decided to assume the initiative to reach an agreement with the congress of the republic to advance the general elections.”

    Many of those demonstrating in the ongoing political crisis are demanding the release from custody of Pedro Castillo, the center-left president ousted Wednesday by lawmakers after he sought to dissolve Congress ahead of an impeachment vote.

    The protests rocking Peru heated up particularly in rural areas, strongholds for Castillo, a former schoolteacher and political newcomer from a poor Andean mountain district. Protesters set fire to a police station, vandalized a small airport used by the armed forces, and marched in the streets.

    A 15-year-old boy died of an injury suffered during a protest in the remote Andes community of Andahuaylas, Congresswoman Maria Taipe Coronado said as she made an impassioned plea from the legislative palace for Boluarte to step down.

    “The death of this compatriot is the responsibility of Mrs. Dina for not submitting her resignation,” charged Taipe, who is affiliated with the party which helped Castillo and Boluarte to their election last year as president and vice president respectively before both were kicked out of that party. “Since when is protesting a crime?”

    Taipe charged that authorities were using heavy-handed repressive tactics in quelling demonstrations. But it remains unclear how the boy was fatally injured, and state media reported a second death in the same community without giving details.

    Anthony Gutiérrez, director of a local hospital, told a radio station that the second protester to die was an 18-year-old person. At least 26 people also were reported injured.

    Hundreds of people also protested in Lima, the capital, where riot police used tear gas to push protesters back.

    Boluarte, in her address to the nation, declared a state of emergency in areas outside Lima where protests have been particularly violent.

    Boluarte, 60, was swiftly sworn in at midweek to replace Castillo, hours after he stunned the country by ordering the dissolution of Congress, which in turn dismissed him for “permanent moral incapacity.” Castillo was arrested on charges of rebellion.

    Castillo’s failed move against the opposition-led Congress came hours before lawmakers were set to start a third impeachment attempt against him.

    Scattered protests around the country have continued for days. Protesters have also setup roadblocks, leaving people stranded for hours.

    On Saturday in Andahuaylas, 16 people were treated for concussions at a hospital, and one of thos persons was was reported in serious condition.

    Boluarte has called for a time of national unity to heal from the latest upheaval. But many of those demonstrating in favor of Castillo have called her a “traitor.”

    “The life of no Peruvian deserves to be sacrificed for political interests,” Boluarte tweeted hours before her address to the nation. “I express my condolences for the death of a citizen in Andahuaylas. I reiterate my call for dialogue and to put an end to violence.”

    Meanwhile, in Lima, hundreds of people again gathered outside the legislative palace on Sunday. Dozens of police officers in riot gear used tear gas against those gathered, while just inside the building, lawmakers were beginning a session. Police also chased and beat protesters as they ran from the scene amid clouds of gas.

    Peru has had six presidents in the last six years, including three in a single week in 2020 when Congress flexed its impeachment powers.

    The power struggle in the country has continued as the Andes region and its thousands of small farms struggle to survive the worst drought in a half-century. The country of more than 33 million people is also experiencing a fifth wave of COVID-19 infections — having recorded about 4.3 million infections and 217,000 deaths since the pandemic began.

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  • UNESCO Site Machupicchu Among Peru’s 4 Awards at 2021 World Travel Awards South America

    UNESCO Site Machupicchu Among Peru’s 4 Awards at 2021 World Travel Awards South America

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    The award-winning Pacific Coast, South American destination, Peru, is a haven for nature and adventure travelers, offering diverse land, sea, and wildlife activities to experience.


    LIMA, Peru, October 28, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
     Peru, on the Pacific Coast of South America, is home to extraordinary ancient ruins, gorgeous beaches, lush Amazon jungles, spectacular mountains, and more, making it perfect for nature and adventure-loving travelers. It’s also one of South America’s most award-winning destinations for 2021, as informed by PROMPERU, Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Agency.

    Peru left the podium at the 2021 World Travel Awards South America, weighed down with four awards in a range of categories. It’s no surprise that the continent’s most famous ancient archaeological site, Machupicchu, was named South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2021 during the awards ceremony. As a supreme testament to the country’s wide-ranging cultural and natural wealth, Peru was also bestowed with South America’s Leading Cultural Destination 2021 and South America’s Leading Culinary Destination 2021 awards.

    Travelers can’t go wrong choosing the country, now honoring its bicentennial, another reason for celebration. With easy connections to the United States from the award-winning international airport, Peru makes for a great getaway option this coming winter season, summer in South America. Must-try nature and adventure-filled vacation activities are spread across the country and include:

    Cusco Trekking: The capital of the ancient Inca Empire, Cusco is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere and was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The city streets retain the skillfully cut Inca stone architecture, preserved in the lower stories of overlaid Spanish colonial structures. Nearby trekking opportunities abound.

    One important trail is Camino del Inca, starting near Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, ending at Machupicchu, South America’s most important archaeological site. The Inca Trail is lined with amazing ruins, hikers making the trek with the assistance of Peruvian guides and porters. There are three different routes, including the Classic Inca Trail (or Four-day Trek) and the Sacred Inca Trail (or Two-Day Trek), both meeting at the Wiñay Wayna ruins to the Inti Punku, the ‘Sun Gate’ offering a first glimpse of Machupicchu. There is also the Salkantay Alternate Trek, the longest of the three, ending at Aguas Calientes at the base of Machupicchu. Other trails include Salkantay Trek (or Salcantay), from a Quechua word meaning “Savage Mountain,” named one of the 25 best Treks in the World by National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine.

    The Ausangate Trek is a 43-mile backpacking trip through striking Andean landscapes. The high elevations start at 12,000 ft, reaching 17,000 ft, passing small villages, glacial lakes, towering snowcapped peaks, and alpaca herds.

    Amazon Jungle Trekking: Adventure travelers also head to the Peruvian Amazon, in search of flora, fauna, and birdwatching opportunities. Many tour operators include five exciting options, including Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos, both serving as urban gateways for exploring the deeper jungle. Other destinations on their tours include the Northern Jungle with river expeditions, Parque Nacional del Manu, set in a cloud forest teeming with exotic wildlife. The beautiful biodiversity of the Amazon jungle comes through in the Rainforest Master Hike. Inside of the Tambopata National Reserve, one of the best-preserved areas of the Amazon, this Rainforest Expeditions tour lets adventurous travelers encounter rare and endangered animals.

    More: https://www.peru.travel/en

    Aquatic Activities near Cusco: Several companies offer water sports tours with stand-up paddling, adventure rafting, kayaking, and more in the wild waters of the Sacred Valley. The Urubamba River beckons the most adventurous, especially during the December through March rainy season, South American summer.

    The Sacred Valley surrounds Cusco and the ancient city of Machupicchu, the heart of the Inca Empire. This fertile farmland is dotted with Spanish colonial villages like Ollantaytambo and Pisac, the latter famed for its Sunday handicraft market and hilltop Incan citadel. Within this picturesque region is the Via Ferrata, a mountain climbing path with a permanently installed safety system, allowing beginners to move through striking mountain scenery with little skill or equipment. Climbers are attached to a steel cable, ensuring their safety, letting them concentrate on the beauty around them normally only accessible to the most skilled climbers.

    More details: https://www.peru.travel/en

    Urubamba Bicycling: One of the most beautiful vacation spots in the Sacred Valley is Urubamba. The ideal, year-round climate makes it an important destination for adventure seekers offering panoramic views of the valley and the towering peaks of the Cordillera Vilcanota. Adrenaline-spiking adventure options in a once-in-a-lifetime setting abound, from canoeing, mountain biking and horseback riding and more.

    Paddling and Kayaking in Cusco and Lake Titicaca: Tucked into the Andes at the border of Peru and Bolivia, majestic Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable body of water. Legend places it as the Inca Empire’s birthplace, and the area teems with archeological treasures and Titicaca National Reserve, sheltering rare aquatic wildlife like gargantuan frogs. The Peruvian city Puno is the main gateway, with tours to this unique destination and its cool, shimmering waters.

    Surfing in Lima: With its surfer culture and cliff-lined beaches, metropolitan capital Lima resembles Los Angeles, with Miraflores offering easy access surfing. Close to the heart of the city beneath the towering cliffs of the Costa Verde coastline, the district is full of backpacker hotels ideal for adventure travelers. On the north end, Playa Makaha features rolling breaks, perfect for beginners. Redondo, on the southern side, is great for beginners and intermediates, with consistent year-round left and right reef breaks. Experienced surfers head north to Punta Roquitas and reef breaks La Pampilla, with their reliable year-round swells and lefts and rights.

    Other Lima surfer hotspots include La Herradura, in Chorrillos south of Miraflores, where swells with four-meter or 12-foot waves can be ridden for 500 meters or over 1600 feet. Farther south is Villa, for experienced surfers.

    With its incredible mix of landscapes spreading from mountains to the jungles to the sea, the adventures awaiting travelers in award-winning Peru are more accessible than ever with several direct flights to Lima from many U.S. gateways.

    For more information, visit:www.peru.travel

    For more on the 2021 World Travel Awards South America, visit: https://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees/2021/south-america

    Media contact

    Edwin Unzalu

    Edwin.unzalu@newlink-group.com

    Source: Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Agency, PROMPERU

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