It was the week that saw the arrival of the coronavirus in Peru, a development that has all and sundry concerned owing to the deficiencies of the Peruvian health system. Not surprisingly today’s (Saturday’s) newspapers have little else in them, some with highly sensationalist coverage – it’s a topic that’s good for newspaper sales – some less so. The economic effects of the virus confirm what we wrote about last week, and the rapidly deteriorating sol/dollar exchange rate seems to confirm that.

It was the week that saw the death, at over 100, of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. By common consent a great Peruvian who, despite an ability to stay above political polemics, was the person who led (unsuccessfully) the presidential battle against Alberto Fujimori in the 1995 elections. He was, of course, also Secretary General of the United Nations.

It was the week that saw the release from jail, into house arrest, of thrice former mayor of Lima, Luis Castañeda Lossio. The judiciary was also considering whether to release Yehude Simón on the same terms.

It was also the week that new information confirmed the fact that former president Alan García received large amounts (in small packages to conceal the transfers) from Odebrecht. His suicide, nearly a year ago, came about as the police closed in on him on evidence from plea bargainers. García always claimed that he was the victim of plots and political persecution.