Corruption Gone Wild in Peru

Someone recently sent me a link to this article which talks about political corruption in Peru. It's an eye-opening article which discusses three of the past presidents and other political figures in Peru. Although Peru has come a long way in recent years, it still has a long way to go. You can read the article at the CS Monitor or below.




Corruption gone wild? Peru's political indictments reach from top office down. From three former presidents under investigation for charges for money laundering to selling pardons, and over 90 percent of Peru's mayors accused of corruption, Peru is facing systemic corruption.

By Jeremy McDermott, InSight Crime Elyssa Pachico, InSight Crime September 10, 2014

• InSight Crime researches, analyzes, and investigates organized crime in the Americas. The views expressed are the author's own. 

One former Peruvian president is now facing charges of money laundering, another of selling pardons to drug traffickers, and a third is in prison, while a serving congressman has been linked to a Mexican drug smuggler, suggesting endemic corruption in Peru's political class.

In an unanimous vote, Congress approved a report by a congressional audit commission that proposes charging former President Alejandro Toledo (who was in office from 2001 to 2006) with money laundering and criminal conspiracy. Mr. Toledo is accused of using funds from a Costa Rican shell company in order to finance his mother-in-law's $5 million purchase of a home and office. Toledo, who has been under investigation since last year, has criticized the accusations, calling them a "political attack" as he plans to run for the presidency again in 2016.

Former president Alan Garcia (1985-90 and 2006-11) is facing possible indictment in the "narco-pardons" scandal, where he is accused of having been involved in selling pardons to convicts, including drug traffickers.

Former President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) is in prison, serving sentences for human rights abuses and embezzlement.

Alongside these scandals involving former presidents, a sitting congressman has found himself mired in controversy. Investigative news magazine Caretas recently revealed that a spokesperson for Toledo's political party, Jose Leon Rivera, rented a beach house to a man police say is a Mexican drug trafficker responsible for the largest seizure of cocaine ever confiscated in Peru.

While the congressman initially denied knowing the alleged trafficker, Rodrigo Torres, a police surveillance video released by Caretas purportedly shows the two meeting outside the house. After the video's release, Mr. Leon admitted that he did meet with his tenant on several occasions, but did not know of his involvement in drug trafficking.

InSight Crime Analysis 
The ongoing probe into Toledo's financial affairs may soon accompany a deeper investigation into Leon's dealings with the Mexicans. Added to this is the fact that over 90 percent of the country's mayors are under investigation for corruption and you have what appears to be systematic corruption in Peru's political world, reaching the highest levels.

Another current challenge for this Andean nation is cleaning up the pool of candidates who plan to run during the upcoming gubernatorial and mayoral elections scheduled for Oct. 5. The Interior Minister has previously said they've identified 115 candidates who are linked to drug trafficking cases, as well as 345 candidates who've already been convicted of a crime.

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Don't Tape Your Box Shut at Peruvian Post Offices

From blog.timesunion.com

Just a quick tip, if you're going to Serpost (the Peruvian post office) do not tape or seal your packages before going to the counter. They'll have to check inside the package to make sure you're not sending anything illegal or drugs. Trust is still an issue in Peru. Even with x-rays and such they still require the post office workers to double check all packages.

Keep in mind that learning Spanish will greatly help you out when you're trying to figure out what they're saying at the post office. Knowing Spanish will help you assimilate to the culture and you'll be able to communicate easier.

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Beware the Bait and Switch in Peru

Bait and switch can refer to a number of things, such as jobs and shopping, but it always refers to fraud. Recruiters may use bait and switch when they dangle a cushy job in front of someone only to change it at the last minute. It's also commonly used in Peru when shopping at the markets or buying something off someone on the street. I've known plenty of people who have fallen victim to this trick both in Peru and elsewhere. Here are some tips to help you avoid the bait and switch trap.

From http://www.findingbetteragencies.com/category/agency-search/page/16/

Take your time. Sellers who use bait and switch try to get time on their side and have you rush. When you rush you're not paying as much attention. Beware of people who want to make you rush.

Refuse a bag. Bags can hide a lot of sins. If there's no bag it's harder for the seller to hide anything.

Buy from reputable people. I love shopping at markets, but some people hate it. The noise, the sellers hawking their wares, etc. However, if you can build relationships with the people you buy from you'll find it can be a great experience. They might give you discounts or the latest and the greatest. Ask other people who they buy from and keep going back to people who give you good deals and good items.

Speak Spanish. Sick of getting the foreigner's price? Learn Spanish. Plain and simple. It's a pretty easy to learn a couple of words and phrases here and there. Knowing Spanish will help you assimilate to the culture and you'll be able to communicate easier.

Be careful about meeting people you find online. I find that living abroad is safer than living at home. I've met many of my friends online through Facebook, forums, and even Craigslist. Back home you wouldn't do that. However, not everyone is safe. Meeting people online can always be dangerous. Be sure to meet in a well-lit place, preferably during the day with other people around.

Trust your instinct. If something doesn't feel right it probably isn't. Move on and find somewhere else to go shopping.

More Shopping Tips
I wrote about markets in Lima as well as shopping in Peru and while markets are great, you have to be careful. Shopping in markets can be a fun experience. These 3 tips will help you make the most of your shopping experience.

1. Get recommendations: ask friends which sellers are good and which ones should be avoided.
2. Pricing: be wary of pricing, especially sellers who drop their prices drastically.
3. Trust your instinct: it's usually right.

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Complaints and Fraud in Peru

• If you would like to make a complaint about a company, go to Indocopi. 
• If you need to report fraud, go to Dinicri. 

 Please do not sign anything that you don't understand.

• Make sure you get everything in writing and make copies of all documents. 
• You might want to get a lawyer to help you.

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