NEWS

  • Protest over Block 192 and support from the UN

    22 May 2016

    Oil exploitation in Block 192 in Peru's northern Amazon has become notorious for the pollution that has occurred over more than 40 years. Last week, indigenous leaders from the area came to Congress in Lima to present a petition with 8,000 signatures from 74 countries.

  • Renewed strike over Tia Maria

    16 May 2016

    As the end of Ollanta Humala’s presidency hovers into view and with a new government in the offing, pressure is once again building up over Tía María. Last week, local communities staged a 72-hour strike in pursuit of their demand to have the mining project called off.

  • Court action on Cacao del Peru Norte

    16 May 2016

    A court in Lima has served a cautionary measure (medida cautelar) on Cacao del Perú Norte, ordering it to stop all activity at Tamshiyacu because of its impact on primary forest there.

  • NRGI reports on mineral revenue sharing

    07 May 2016

    An excellent report has just been published by the Natural Resource Governance Institute, (NRGI) authored by María Lasa Aresti. In 31 pages, it presents careful documentation and explanation of how mineral revenues are fed down to the sub-national level, providing data from 2005 to 2014. It explains accurately the whole system of transfers.

  • Keiko promises to deregulate mining

    07 May 2016

    Congress is currently debating a controversial bill which, if passed, would repeal decrees 1100 and 1105. These set out the procedures to transform informal into formal mining. They contain many regulations that seek to control the abuses of illegal mining and other similar activities. It is feared that the cancellation would leave 'protected zones' unprotected. Despite these concerns, Keiko Fujimori has declared that her government would repeal these decrees.

  • United Cacao blamed for deforestation

    07 May 2016

    In an open letter delivered on 4 May, 60-plus indigenous organisations and NGOs from Peru, Europe and the United States called on United Cacao Limited to be barred from trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), due to alleged violations of Alternative Investment Market (AIM) rules. The letter, addressed to the Financial Conduct Authority, blamed United Cacao for the illegal deforestation of at least 11,000 hectares in the Peruvian Amazon.

  • Fujimorismo wins big in Congress

    01 May 2016

    The ONPE, the institution responsible for administering elections in Peru, has been slow at providing complete figures for the congressional elections. It had still not finished the count at the end of last week. However, the distribution of seats between parties in the news Congress, which will assemble at the end of July, is clear.

  • The nexus between organised crime and illegal gold mining

    24 April 2016

    A report published explores the nexus in Latin America between organised crime and illegal gold. It sees the activity as an easy source of money laundering and corruption and fertile ground for human rights abuse, especially forced labour, sex trafficking, environmental destruction and displacement of populations.

  • Prize for Maxima Acuna de Chaupe

    24 April 2016

    The Peruvian farmer and grassroots leader, Máxima Acuña de Chaupe, was one of six people honoured this week with the world’s most prestigious prize for environmental activism, the Goldman Environmental Prize for 2016.

  • The Left makes gains in Cajamarca, under improbable circumstances

    17 April 2016

    Gregorio Santos, a candidate for the Direct Democracy party, was the clear winner in the first round of elections in Cajamarca, achieving 36.5% of the popular vote, to Keiko Fujimori’s 32.3%. What makes this result particularly remarkable is that Santos has been inside the maximum security Ancón 1 prison for two years on remand awaiting judgement on corruption charges.

  • PSG Aims

    The Peru Support Group exists to promote social inclusion, sustainable development and the observance of human rights in Peru. To that end the PSG highlights shortcomings in observance of established norms, whether international or local in nature, in its research, advocacy and publications. In so doing, it underscores the relationships that exist within the political system, how institutions work, and the effectiveness of policies that aim to reduce poverty and inequality within the context of sustainable development.

  • Historical Overview

    Over the past century Peru has suffered a series of autocratic governments and a civil war in which nearly 70,000 people died. Many of the country's ongoing political and social problems are a legacy of its somewhat turbulent past. 

  • Human Rights

    Human rights violations were widespread during the twenty years after the initiation of armed conflict in 1980. Efforts to convict perpetrators since the war's end have made only limited progress. Today, concerns remain over the treatment of those engaged in social protest, particularly against strategically important investment projects.

  • Why join the PSG?

    • Keep up to date with latest news and developments in Peru
    • Learn about key issues of poverty, development and human rights in Peru
    • Support the work of the Peru Support Group

    Become a member