Internet in Peru

Last class we were discussing the top websites in each country.  I looked at Alexa.com, a web information site that shows that most popular websites by country. 

The country of Peru top websites in order are Facebook, Google, Google Peru, and YouTube.  Other notable websites include ElComercio.pe, the website for the highest selling newspaper in Peru, at number 8 and rpp.com.pe  which is a website for the network of radio stations that give you up to the minute news, sports, and entertainment.

Looking at the website , Paul Mcartney was on the front page probably due to a concert he recently had in Lima.  Maybe the effect of the Internet has caused the media to be more "pop culture" instead of just giving the news.  Maybe one negative effect could be that due to this new adaptation of the media, the people of Peru will be more interested in what their favorite celebrity is doing.  This of course will be provided to them with the around the clock coverage.

The Internet also does some good however.  I think websites like facebook help exporting ideas and cultures and works to keep the world more united even through this social network. 

Peru, Mexico, Chile and Colombia sign agreement

Alan Garcia of Peru, Felipe Calderon of Mexico, Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia and Sebastian Pinera of Chile signed the Declaration of Lima Peruviantimes.com reports.  With the approval of all four presidents, it is clear that they seek a creation for a free trade area for the four countries.

Presidents signing Declaration of Lima

According to state news agency Adina, "the main points of the declaration are to establish a pacific alliance and to promote  regional integration through stronger economical growth, development, and better competitiveness."

This declaration would also call for another meeting in Mexico where the four leaders will discuss the progress of the Lima agreement.  This meeting is set for December

Opinion poll gives edge to Humala

A recent national poll done by Ipsos Apoyo in association with El Comercio that was taken on April 16 through April 21, shows Ollanta Humala to have a slight lead over Keiko Fujimori for Peru's presidential office.  This recent poll (results can be seen here) shows Humala to have 42 percent of voters support while Fujimori has 36 percent.

Polls have shown both candidates with leads in a matter of months.  Photo take from Elcomercio.pe

Although Humalla has a small lead, the poll also shows that 41 percent of the people that voted for Pedro Pablo Kuczynski would vote for Fujimori compared to the 20 percent of the vote that Humala would receive.  Kuczynski finished third in the first round elections with 18.5 percent of support.

In an interview with Peruviantimes.com, polical analyst Erasto Almeida said that Fujimori will try to portray Humala as a radical leftist who will lead Peru down the same path that Hugo Chavez lead Venezuela through.  He is not completely sold on this tactic however, by saying that Humala has little risk of losing his lead.

President Calderon, President Garcia Meet

Felipe Calderon President of Mexico arrived in Peru in what is the President's first visit to the country.  According to El Comercio Calderon is also set to meet with the members of the Peruvian Congress, Lima Mayor Susana Villaran and the head of the Judicial Branch.  President Calderon also had the chance to meet with Peruvian Presidential candidates Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori.  The purpose of the meeting is to sign a double taxation treaty.

President Calderon (left) and President Garcia are having a pleasant conversation

Andina describes how President Calderon was welcomed with full military honors at the Courtyard of Honor at the Presidential Palace.

Statistics show that Peru's Economy rose in Febuary

According to National Statistics and Information Bureau, INEI the GDP or Gross Domestic Product rose 8.53 percent in the month of February.  This would be the 18th consecutive month that  the economy has risen in the country.  Adina, (Agencia Peruana de Noticias) which can be viewed here, is reporting that the main sectors responsible for the recent economic growth were; the Commercial sectors, fishing and electricity and water sectors, and agriculture sector.  These sectors rose 11.6, 9.09, 7.06, and 4.09 percent respectively. 


Humala vs Fujimori  Pt 2

This is an interesting conversation with George Washington University Professor Cynthia McClintock.  She further in depth to what I was basically talking about in my previous entry about the presidential candidates Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori who are set to have a runoff in June.  McClintock describes how both candidates have become so controversial due to their pasts and also has a recap of the elections

To listen to the podcast click here

Want more in depth information on the Peru Elections of 2011? The WOLA Electoral Observation Delegation blog is a great source for information regarding the elections.

Former Prime Minister turns himself in

Former Prime Minister of Peru, Juan Carlos Hurtado Miller, has turned himself in to Peruvian Authorities after 10 years of seclusion.  After being accused of receiving money from President Alberto Fujimori in the year 2000, Miller went into hiding.  El Comercio is reporting that Miller was ordered to be under house arrest by a Lima court.

Hurtado Miller, now 70, awaits trial

So far, there have 78 government officials during the Alberto Fujimori presidency that are in prison and if Miller gets convicted, he will add to the list. 

The following YouTube video dwells into Miller's famous "God Help Us" speech where he was talking about taking drastic measure to ensure continual strength of the Peruvian economy at that time.

Humala, Fujimori set for runoff

With 30.9% of the votes, Olanta Humala has won the first round of the presidential elections for 2011.  But, because he failed to obtain more than 50% of the entire votes,  he will now have a runoff with Keiko Fujimori who came in second with 23.6%.  This runoff which will determine the Peruvian Presidency will take place on June 5, 2011.

Many political experts believe that Humala's "Peace and Love" campaign won him the first round vitory.

This Electoral Map which can be seen here shows what each candidate won.  For the most part, Humala won most of the southern region while Keiko Fujimori won the northern regions.



Humala vs Fujimori

Now that both of these candidates are in a runoff let's see the issues that each will tackle if elected president of Peru.  Humala envisions a Peru where the state has a larger role in the economy.  Not only will he have to amend the constitution to accomplish this but, this will certainly not bode well with business people who believe that the economy is fine just the way it is.

Meanwhile, Fujimori has said that she will continue the free market economy that her father, ex-president Alberto Fujimori established during his presidency in the early 2000s.  But, because her father was linked to corruption and other questionable ways of running the country, it might not be the best thing for her to be associated with him.


It's really ironic that both of these candidates received the mos votes because of the hate that Peruvians have for them.  In a recent poll, an astonishing 50% of voters said that they would NEVER vote for either Humalla or Fujimori.  This is a YouTube video that further describes the policies that both candidates want to implement if elected.  The broadcast really seems to take a "whoever wins we lose" attitude.

Update on Valeria Vasquez

In my previous blog entry I had mentioned a story about a Valita, a little girl who needs a new heart.  After the story aired both locally and here in the U.S, donations came pouring in that totaled $224,000.  Now EsSalud, the national health care nation of the country of Peru, to take care of the remaining cost for Valita's transplant.  She has been flown to The University of Minnesota Amplatz Children Hospital along with her father where she awaits her new heart.



Peru Elections Update

The Peruvian elections are pretty much like the NCAA tournament these days, you never know whats going to happen.  After being fourth for pretty much the the entire presidential campaign, Ollanta Humala from the Nationalist party has surged ahead of both Keiko Fujimori and Alejandro Toledo who was been the leader in the polls from the outset.

 Humala went from having 17% of the support to 23% in just a couple of weeks.

According to the Ipsos Apoyo, Humala leads the other two candidates in a tightly contested race 22.8% to 22.3% and 21.6%.  The Elections take place on April 10.



This video below shows the patterns of the polls and illustrate how the numbers have gone up and down with each candidate in the last few weeks before the election.

Heart of a Champion

Valeria "Valita" Vasquez is a five year old girl in need of a heart transplant.  Valita suffers from a rare disease called Dilated Cardiomyopathy or DCM.  This disease directly affects the muscle of the heart which causes the heart to be enlarged therefore, decreasing the amount and efficiency of blood that is being pumped.  As her health deteriorates, the only hope there is to saving her life is a costly heart Transplant.

Doctors have concluded that little Valeria probably contracted the DCM when she was 3

Valita's Parents, Diego and Jessica Vasquez are desperately trying to raise money for an operation in the United States that could potentially save their daughter's life.  In an interview with PanamericaTvPeru, Diego said "I've seen my daughter swim, I've seen her run, we've gone on family trips together, and from one moment to another, it all came to an end."  The total expenses of the surgery which will take place at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital, is estimated at $775,000.  Diego and Jessica are hoping to get the money before her decreased heart functions damages her other vital organs like her lungs and liver.

This is an in-depth interview with the family aired by Panorama and uploaded to YouTube

If you would like to donate for Valita's heart Transplant, click here

Media Freedom in Peru

From the websites given in class, specifically En.Rsf.Org, I found out that censorship has a small play in Peruvian media.  Just last year, a radio station (La Voz),  had it's 14 month ban lifted and was able to resume broadcasting.  La Voz, which is stationed in Peru's amazon region, was accused of encouraging violence to protesters.    These accusation were of course without merit, and in fact, it is believed that because the station was in support of the uprising showed by the indigineous groups of Yarimaguas Peru, it caused friction between them and the government.  This ended by their entire station being shut down for more than a year.

Freedom of Speech may not be so free, at least in countries outside the U.S

Another great website that was able to give me more information on the media of Peru was FreedomHouse.org.  I thought that one particular story hit close to home because it deals with one of our most important freedoms that we often take for granted.  Jose Alejandro Godoy, a Peruvian blogger was convicted of defamation charges and sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined $100,000 in November of 2010.  Godoy had posted an entry in his blog that alledged that congressman Jorge Mufarech was involved with some instances of corruption.  The blog post, according to Godoy, was "summurized information that already publicly available".  To no one's surprise it was Mufarech himself who brought the case to the attention on the courts.

Peruvian Elections 2011 update

Candidates; Toledo, Castaneda, Fujimori, Humala, and Kuczinski prepare for a debate.

A date has finally been scheduled for the top presidential candidates to come together for a debate.  On Sunday March 20, Alejandro Toled, Keiko Fujimori, Olanta Humala, and the rest of the candidates will have their first debate.

Media effects on Peru

The youth in Peru has seen a spike in TV ratings.

One of the main effects of media in Peru has been television viewership, especially with  the introduction of satellite TV.  Whether it be soap operas or soccer games, Peruvians have shown a definite increase in how much television is being watched throughout the country.  With satellite television, the government's censoring abilities has been significantly limited.

Internet use has also become a staple of Peruvian media in recent times.  Totel.com states that Peru Internet exposure and growth is credited to the "cheap" public Internet facilities known as "Cabinas Publicas".  This is facilities have propelled Peru to be among the leading countries in Internet access in public places. 



Just a thought...

While going through some websites of the Peruvian media (Perutv.go.pe , El Comercio.pe), I get the sense that the media is more news oriented than in the United States.  Upon going to the LA times website and scrolling down just once, I could already see Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan.  Maybe the Latin American media as a whole feels like it is responsible for the news that happens throughout those Latin American countries.  Whereas in the United States, the media might feel that it has to produce some sort of entertainment to go along with the news in order to keep the audience interested.  That's just my opinion.

Election Polls have Toledo ahead

Alejandro Toledo, Keiko Fujimori and Luis Castaneda (Photo courtesy of Elcomercio.pe)

As the Elections in Peru draw closer and closer, a current poll done by Ipsos apoyo has shown Alejandro Toledo ahead of both Keiko Fujimori and Luis Castaneda with 28% of the votes.  Fujimori has  21% and Castaneda 17%.

Bus Accident Kills 27

On Febuary 23, a bus crashed and killed 27 people that were inside it.  The bus was on it's way to the Lima, the capital of Peru, when the driver, according to peliminary reports, lost control of the veichle.  

Earthquaaaaaake!..... Drill

One particular that caught my eye over the weekend took place offshore just outside of Lima.  It appears that a couple of tremors were felt throughout the capitol city around noon on Saturday.  What was strange about these tremors was that they occurred just a couple of hours before the National Defense Institute was to coordinate a nationwide quake and tsunami drill.  Great timing I guess.

You can read the entire article on the tremors here

Media Conglomeration

Time Warner

 Media Conglomerates are those big companies that own various smaller companies in different types of media.  These large companies usually expand through mergers, acquisitions, and alliances.  These companies also occasionally own other companies that are involved diverse business areas.  Television, the Internet, and the radio would be examples of the types of media that are involved.  One of the most widely known conglomerate would be Walt Disney.  Disney currently owns  TV Channels ( ESPN, ABC) and use to own sports teams like the Los Angeles Angels and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Viacom

 The impacts of media conglomeration has to do with with the amount of news coverage that we are given.  If five or six big companies are in charge of our media then it's plausible to assume that those six have an agenda as well as calculated ideas that they want to carry out.  This not only affects the news that they are reporting but also and maybe more importantly, the news that they aren't reporting. These large corporations will do what's in their best interest to maintain their image.

The country of Peru also has some media conglomerates that affects how people receive their news.   However I have found that for the most part these corporations are politically based . Of ten major television networks, only one Television Nacional de Peru, is stated owned.  I know what your thinking, government based channel is only gonna gave 24/7 broadcasts of nothing but political agendas and useless propaganda but that is surprisingly not the case.  TV Peru focuses now on the country's history and culture creating a sense of patriotism in the country.

News in Peru

The country of Peru is gearing up for their upcoming elections scheduled to take place April 10, 2011.    The candidates include Ollanta Humara (Partido Nacionalo Peruano), Alejandro Toledo (Alianza Peru Posible), Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (Allianza Por El Gran Cambio), Luis Castaneda Lossio (Alianza Solidaridad Nacional), and Keiko Fujimori (Fureza 2011).  Keiko is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori. Recent polls have shown Toledo to be the odds on favorite to win the election and claim the presidency.

A new development has recently transpired regarding the public polls.  According to an El Comercio article because the new requirements (which calls for the interviewees to give their ID number and home address) established by the National Elections jury have not yet been met, the publication of the polls have been suspended indefinitely.  

One big story that happened during the week was regarding a group of homosexuals that were beaten by the national police.

It all started when members of the Homosexual Movement of Lima, (HMO), were kissing during a ceremony at the Plaza de Armas de Lima.  This protest was deemed "Kisses againts Homophobia."  When the police arrived, they began using physical force without warning.  In all 7 people were hurt and have all since filed complaints against the police.  President Alan Garcia spoke out about the story and expressed his concern.   He described the measures the police took as being both "exagerated" and "illegal".

The Country of Peru

The Ruins of Machu Picchu

Peru is a Latin American country that is located in the Western part of South America, where it's located between Chile and Ecuador.  According to The World Fact book which can be found here, Peru has an estimated population of  29 million as of July of 2010.  It's government, much like our own is a constitutional republic.  It consists of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches as well different Peruvian political parties (Aprista, Union of Peru, Peruvian Nationalist party).  The current president of Peru,  Alan Garcia Perez of the Peruvian  Aprista Party, has been in office since July of 2006.  Peru's national currency is the Nuevo Sol and the country's economy relies heavily on it's natural resources such as minerals (copper, gold, zinc) found in mountain areas, and fish found at the coast.

The media in Peru is dominated by privately owned companies.  Peru is unfortunately filled drug trafficking and corruption, so reporters often times risk their lives when covering these topics.  The three biggest newspapers in Peru are El Peruano, El Comercio, and, La Republica.  El Peruano is the "official" daily paper of Peru.  Founded in the early 1800s, makes it the oldest government-based newspaper in all Latin America.  Aside from giving the news, this paper also publishes every law that passes in the country.  Because of it's affiliation with the government, it does not circulate as well as the other newspapers.  One of Peru's most popular television channels is Frencuencia Latina.  Besides its up to the minute news stories, it's also the subject of controversy for ongoing coverage on the corruption within the Kojimori government.