Mining Tensions in Peru and Argentina
The mining boom has brought huge economic benefits to some of Latin America’s least developed countries. But in big mining countries like Colombia and Bolivia the industry’s success is accompanied by an increase in protests, violence and human rights abuses. Not everyone has been able to share in the wealth created by mining—and in many … Read more
[i]AQ[/i] Q&A: Miguel Santillana and Cynthia Sanborn on Chinese Mining in Peru
What are the effects of China’s growing investments in Peruvian mining endeavors? AQ gets answers from Miguel Santillana, lead researcher of the Instituto del Perú at the Universidad de San Martín de Porres, and Cynthia Sanborn, director of the Universidad del Pacífico‘s Research Center. Mining, an industry that has been active since “pre-Inca ages” according … Read more
[i]AQ[/i] Slideshow: Celebrating Day of the Dead in Peru
Every year on November 1 Peruvians flock to cemeteries to celebrate Día de los muertos, or Day of the Dead, a popular religious holiday where family members honor loved ones who have passed away. In Lima, one of the most popular destinations on this day is the Virgen del Lourdes cemetery, located on the outskirts … Read more
Combating Youth Unemployment in Peru
Youth unemployment rates are near 20 percent in some areas of Peru, and not coincidentally, gang activity also is on the rise. It is a situation that cannot be ignored and one which President Ollanta Humala pledged to address during the campaign. His solution: combat gangs by promoting job training. This August, just weeks after … Read more
A Plurality Loses the Vote in Peru and Faces a Tough Choice
Peruvians are bracing themselves for one of the most divisive presidential campaigns in recent history, with nationalist Ollanta Humala set to face off against right-wing Keiko Fujimori on June 5. The former colonel, who once led a coup against the corrupt administration of Ms. Fujimori’s father Alberto, has garnered 31 percent of the vote with … Read more
Hydroelectric Energy in the Peruvian Amazon: The Inambari Puzzle
Peru’s appetite for investment has again led it deep into the Amazon jungle. This time a new hydroelectricity project, the Inambari Dam, is poised to bring irreversible social and environmental changes to the region. Inambari, to be developed in the buffer zone of the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, will be the largest hydroelectricity project in Peru … Read more
Peruvian Indigenous Land Conflict Explained
June 12, 2009 Few regions in the world are as richly endowed as the Peruvian Amazon. Beyond housing around 10 percent of the world’s biodiversity, it is rich in mineral, hydrocarbon and forestry resources, and its rivers are a coveted source of freshwater, food and energy. But the Amazon’s riches have also set the stage … Read more
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