Peru: Five Blogs, Five Posts · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

At this time, we'll visit five Peruvian blogs whose chosen posts do not have much in common with one another, except for the fact that they are all written with high quality and with interesting topics, which are necessary ingredients to capture the readers’ attention.  Here we go:
Our first stop is the blog Consultor Internet [ES] written by an experienced blogger, and just as the name might suggest, he writes about internet-related topics. The post “ The Exhaustion of the Internet Terminal? analyzes the phenomenon of the public internet terminal in Peru, and its level of reach throughout the country, as well of its present and future challenges.
Por lo general siempre he sido un entusiasta defensor del modelo cabinero que impera en el Peru, fenomeno interesante que permite que a bajos precios los usuarios puedan conectarse a Internet a un precio razonable, solventando de esta manera el no tener una conexion dedicada en casa, o en su momento el poder pagar las conexiones dial-up (mas lentas que una cabina dicho sea de paso). Este fenomeno ha tenido como efecto colateral saludable, el que en el Peru haya una gran legion de Internautas mayor a la que corresponderia por la cantidad de lineas instaladas…
Hasta ahi todo bien, los usuarios peruanos han logrado mantenerse “al dia” debido a este modelo de negocios, pero considero que este mecanismo ya evidencia sus señales de agotamiento. La razon habria que verla por el lado de los servicios y modelos de negocio que se estan generando actualmente, herramientas de colaboracion, compartir videos y fotos, herramientas P2P, contenidos multimedia…
In general, I have always been an enthusiastic defender of the public internet terminal that can be found in Peru, and is an interesting phenomenon that permits users to connect to the internet at a reasonable price, which solves the problem of not having a dedicated internet connection at home or be able to pay for dial-up connections (much slower than a terminal).  This phenomenon has had a collateral healthy effect in Peru because there are many more internet users than installed internet connections.
Up until there, Peruvian internet users have been able to “stay up-to-date” due to this business model, but I think that this mechanism is already showing signs of exhaustion. The reason should be found with the services and business models that are generating collaborative tools to share videos and photos, P2P tools, multimedia content.
Our next visit is Pura Finta [ES], a blog that sporadically posts about his experiences in our city of Lima. “Tacora, a no-man's land, where robbery is becoming a business”  is a post that was a product of his visit to one of the places in which one must take great care.
Los delincuentes insultan y amenazan a cualquiera que los moleste. A ellos les tienes que mirar bonito, con buena cara y, aunque sea, contar con una moneda de sol en tu bolsillo, por si acaso. Nada de que no tengo, porque, si no, se te vienen con todo. Esos son los más tranquilos, porque, los otros, te roban sin piedad. Aquel barrio cerca de Manzanilla sigue siendo considerado como una zona de alto riesgo. Tan es así que a los habitantes solo les queda poner rejas, puertas dobles y vivir bajo cuatro llaves.
The delinquents insult and threaten whoever that bothers them.  One must look at them the right way and however, one must have a coin in their pocket, just in case.  One must show that one has nothing, because if not, they come with you with everything.  Those are the most calm because the others rob you without a second thought.  That neighborhood near Manzanilla is still considered a high risk zone.  The residents can only put up iron bars, double doors, and live behind four locks.
Mis Otros Dragones [ES] is a terribly popular blog among Lima bloggers, as is its author: Dragon.  Super Floreando en Peruano…one of his recent posts is an enormous example of this blogger's imagination, where many of his Lima blogger friends can be found..as superheores.
Desde las profundidades del Valle de Zúñiga emerge una enorme bestia alada con dirección a Limatrópolis. Detrás solo quedó destrucción y desolación, el Valle de Zúñiga esta completamente desolado. Aquella gigantesca bestia devoró, literalmente, toda forma de vida en aquel verde valle de lo que solo queda muerte, destrucción y una botella de Pisco Uvina. La bestia sobrevuela la ciudad buscando un nuevo lugar donde anidar, encontrando restaurantes de mediana procedencia donde satisfacer su voraz apetito. Los ciudadanos de Limatrópolis no saben que hacer y hacen un llamado a… Los Bloggers de la Justicia!!! – insertar soundtrack original aquí.
From the depths of the Vally of Zúñiga, emerges a large beast headed in the direction of Limatropolis.  Only destruction and desolation remains, the Valley of Zúñiga is completely desolate.  That gigantic beast literally devoured all form of life in that green valley, and only death, destruction and a bottle of Pisco Uvina remains.  The beast flies over the city looking for a new place to nest, looking for restaurants to satisfy its voracious appetite.  The citizens of Limatroplis do not know what to do and make a call to…The Bloggers of Justice!!! – insert original soundtrack here.
Desde mis ojos [ES]…the blog of Angela normally is about her, her things, her interests and her work experiences, but every once in awhile, she posts about things that she sees and that exhaust her, as in the post: Injustices Conform to Law, a post denouncing the problems that happen in one of the farthest and most abandoned places.
Conversando con algunos dueños de concesiones forestales, pequeños empresarios que pretenden (o pretendían) establecer negocios ecológicos, para mejorar sus niveles de vida y dar trabajo a sus paisanos y familia, supe que los “procesos de desarrollo comunal” se han chocado con un grave problema, el problema de siempre, por supuesto: los empresarios forestales con más dinero y, por supuesto, poder.
Sé que ha habido falta de iniciativa y fuerza por parte de los pequeños propietarios, para organizarse y defender sus tierras. Pero también es verdad que carecen de facilidades para obtener capacitación y recursos económicos que les permitan sacar un buen provecho del bosque. De pronto, aparecen empresas ya establecidas, que manejan grandes sumas de dinero. Estos convencen a unos cuantos dueños de vender sus acciones y luego obligan a todos los demás.
Me cuentan (y he visto) que esta clase de “abuso legítimo” sucede siempre en Madre de Dios. Como no pueden contratar un abogado (o todos los buenos abogados están comprados), simplemente pierden sus concesiones, vendiéndolas muy baratas. Tengo entendido que por 35 acciones (que equivalen a más de quinientas hectáreas de bosque), se pretende pagar a cada propietario 12 mil dólares. Esta suma, en Madre de Dios, apenas les alcanzaría para trasladarse a Puerto Maldonado, conseguir un terreno en invasión, dedicarse a dar servicio de mototaxi y sobrevivir…
In speaking with some of the owners of forestry properties, small business owners that try (or have tried) to establish ecological businesses to improve their quality of life and give work to their countrymen, knew that the “communal development processes” have clashed with a grand problem, the problem of always of course, the forestry businessmen with more money and of course, more power.
I know that there has been a lack of initiative and effort on the part of small property owners to organize and defend lands.  But also it is certain that they lack ability to gain training and economic resources that would allow them to take advantage of the forest.  Soon, established businesses, which operate with large sums of money, convince some owners to sell their shares and later obligate others to do the same.
They tell me (and I've seen) that this type of “legitimate abuse” always happens in Madre de Dios.  As they are unable to hire a lawyer (or all the good lawyers are already paid-off), they simply lose their properties, selling them way too cheaply.  I believe that for 35 shares (equivalent to more than5 500 hectares of forest) each owner is paid 12,000 dollars.  This sum in Madre de Dios is barely enough to be able move themselves to Puerto Maldonado and acquire a property through invasion, decidate oneself to a mototaxi and simply survive….
Finally in the blog Grupo Periodismo Digital [ES] appears the post: Journalists and Bloggers in Liberty Radio where one learns of the radio appearance that a pair of well-known bloggers that talk about weblogs and other diverse related topics.  The post includes the complete audio of the program.
El sábado 26 de mayo, los bloggers y periodistas Juan Carlos Luján y Vladimir Terán Altamirano estuvieron en la cabina de Radio Libertad, como invitados del programa El Reportero, para hablar sobre los weblogs y su importancia en la sociedad… Pero los citados hombres de prensa también aprovecharon este momento para referirse a otros asuntos como la brecha digital, los podcast, los nativos digitales, la web 2.0…
On Saturday, May 26, the bloggers and journalists Juan Carlos Luján and Vladimir Terán Altamirano were in the studio of Radio Libertad, as invitees of the program El Reportero to talk about weblogs and their importance in society.  The invited pressmen also took the opportunity to talk about other issues like the digital divide, podcasts, digital natives, and web 2.0.
With this, I will leave you until the next time.