From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Peru Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 11:12:48 GMT Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1466 Path: world!eliz Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Message-ID: <199709150717_MC2-207D-9AEB@compuserve.com> Content-Disposition: inline Precedence: bulk Sender: eliz@world.std.com (daemons) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mime-Version: 1.0 Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 247 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Peru ============================================================ Peru - Consular Information Sheet September 12, 1997 Country Description: Peru is a developing country with tourism and commercial activity. A wide range of tourist facilities and services is available, the quality of which depends on price and location. Entry Requirements: U.S. citizens need a valid passport but do not need a visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Visitors for other purposes must obtain a visa. Further information regarding entry requirements is available from the Consulate of Peru, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 605, Washington, D.C. 20036, tel. (202) 462-1084 or 462-1085, and Peruvian consulates in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Texas. Medical Facilities: Medical care is adequate in major cities but less so elsewhere. Private health facilities in urban areas are well staffed, have more modern equipment and stock a wider variety of medications than those available in public and rural hospitals. Local health care providers may not accept U.S. health insurance coverage and are more likely to require cash payment for medical services. Medicare/Medicaid does not pay for medical services outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provisions for medical evacuation or other emergency, is strongly recommended. Health Risks: Visitors to high-altitude Andean destinations such as the Cuzco and Lake Titicaca areas should be aware of the potential dangers of altitude sickness, which can affect even persons in good physical condition. In jungle areas east of the Andes, malaria is a serious problem. Cholera, yellow fever and other exotic and contagious diseases are also present. For further information regarding health conditions and precautions, contact your medical practitioner or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559, Internet - http://www/cdc/gov. Terrorism: While Peruvian government action has effectively suppressed the two active terrorist groups, Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and MRTA (Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement), both are still capable of dangerous actions. Both groups have also targeted U.S. interests in the past. Terrorist attacks have not occurred in traditional tourist destinations outside Lima in many years. Terrorists continue to mount infrequent attacks against targets in the Lima area, including government offices, embassies, and major commercial interests, including shopping malls. Incidents during 1996-1997 included Sendero Luminoso bombings of police installations in central Lima and Ate Vitarte, the bombing of a Shell Oil facility in San Borja, and the four-month-long MRTA hostage-taking at the Japanese Embassy residence in San Isidro, a suburb of Lima. U.S. visitors to Peru are advised of the potential risk of collateral damage from terrorist bomb attacks. A terrorist attack in July 1995 in the Department of La Libertad was directed against U.S. mining company geologists, and a Peruvian employee of the company was murdered by Sendero Luminoso terrorists. In August 1997, Sendero Luminoso terrorists harassed and later briefly held personnel of a geological survey company in Satipo Province in Junin Department, an embassy off-limits area. Mining prospectors and others considering travel to remote areas of Peru are strongly advised to contact the U.S. Embassy for current security information. U.S. Embassy Travel Restrictions: The U.S. Embassy restricts official travel of government employees to several areas where terrorist groups and narcotics traffickers still resort to violence, usually against local security forces and civilians. Overland travel in or near these areas, particularly at night, is risky. Private U.S citizens may wish to take the following U.S. Embassy employee-restricted travel areas into account when planning travel to the interior of Peru. Ancash: Provinces of Pallasca, Corongo, and Sihuas only. Apurimac: All areas, except Abancay City by road from Cuzco, and Andahuaylas by private or charter air only. Ayacucho: All areas, except Ayacucho and Huanta City, and the highway that joins them. Cajamarca: Cajabamba and Jaen provinces, except the town of Jaen. Cuzco: Apurimac Valley bordering the Department of Ayacucho. Huancavelica: All areas, except town of Huancavelica by train from Huancayo. Huanuco: All areas, except the towns of Huanuco by highway from Cerro de Pasco, and Tingo Maria by highway from Huanuco. The highway leading north from Tingo Maria is considered extremely dangerous. Junin: Satipo and Chanchamayo Provinces, except towns of La Merced and San Ramon, and the highway that joins them with Tarma. La Libertad: Bolivar, Sanchez Carrion, Otuzco and Pataz provinces. Pasco: Oxapampa Province, except by air to towns of Puerto Bermudez and Ciudad Constitucion. Piura: Huancabamba Province. San Martin: All rural areas, travel by air is permitted to the towns of Tarapoto, Juanjui, Lamas, Saposoa, Rioja and Moyobamba. Ucayali: Padre Abad Province. This list is under continuous review. U.S. Embassy "restricted travel areas" do not necessarily correspond to Peruvian government-designated "emergency zones" which still encompass about one-fifth of the country, including most of metropolitan Lima. Certain constitutional rights are suspended in these "emergency zones," granting police and military security forces extraordinary powers to detain and hold people. For updated information regarding U.S. Embassy-restricted travel areas, please contact the Embassy in Lima. Security and Crime Information: While crime is on the increase, Peru is relatively safe outside the above-listed areas for the group tourist who takes appropriate precautions and does not stray from organized tour groups. The risk of street crime in downtown Lima and other popular tourist areas including Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno and Juliaca is high. U.S. citizens have reported recently an increase in robberies at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Callao, Lima, by persons who distract travelers and steal luggage and other belongings. Violent crimes include carjacking, assault, and armed robbery. In Lima, smash and grab attacks on occupied vehicles are common. "Choke and rob" attacks against tourists occur in Cuzco, particularly near the train station and the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), and in Arequipa, particularly on Jerusalem Street and near the Plaza de Armas. Resistance to violent crime provokes greater violence. Travel in groups and with experienced guides during daylight hours is safer. Walking alone, especially late at night or early in the morning, increases risk of criminal attack. Nonviolent street crime, such as petty theft, occurs in all areas. Inca Trail trekkers are significantly safer if they are part of a guided group trail hike. A Western European hiker on the trail with her spouse was shot to death in 1997 during a robbery at a designated campsite. Visitors should always register when entering national parks. Hikers should also exercise extreme caution in potentially slippery or steep areas. Hazardous portions of trails are neither fenced nor marked. Also in 1997, a U.S. citizen hiking at Machu Picchu fell to her death. Travelers to remote areas should check with local authorities about conditions. Visitors to Peru should immediately report any criminal activity against them to the nearest police station or tourism police office and to the U.S. Embassy in Lima or the Consular Agent in Cuzco. Immediate action may result in detaining the thieves and recovering stolen property. Tourists may register complaints on a 24-hour hotline, provided by INDECOPI (National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property). In Lima, call tel. 224-7888 or 224-8600. Outside Lima, callers should dial the prefix (01), then these numbers, or the toll-free number 0-800-42579 (not available from pay phones, but may be accessed from any private phone). The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad." This publication, as well as others such as "Tips for Travelers to Central and South America" are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of foreign countries they visit. There has been a sharp increase in arrests at the Lima airport of U.S. citizens attempting to carry cocaine to the U.S. As of September 1997, 27 Americans were held on drug charges. In Peru, strict penalties apply for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs. Anyone arrested on drug trafficking or other criminal charges, regardless of nationality, will suffer protracted pre-trial detention before receiving stiff prison sentences combined with heavy fines. Prison conditions are poor. For further information on conditions, please refer to the Department of State's Human Rights Report on Peru. Other Information: Private adoptions are not legal in Peru. Current information on Peruvian adoption procedures and the immigrant visa application process for orphans is available from the Immigrant Visa Unit of the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy and from the Office of Children's Issues, Room 4811, Department of State, Washington, D.C., 20520, tel. (202) 647-2688. Civil marriage in Peru of U.S. citizen non-residents to Peruvians is difficult. Non-residents may be required to present a "Certificado de Solteria" (Certificate of Marriageability) which the U.S. Embassy does not issue. Likewise, the U.S. Embassy does not authenticate U.S. civil documents for local use. U.S. citizens should obtain Peruvian consular authentication in the U.S. of required U.S. civil documents. Civil Aviation Oversight: As a result of a reassessment conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in July 1997, the FAA has found the government of Peru's civil aviation authority to be in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Peru's air carrier operations. For further information on aviation safety, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation at 1-800-322-7873. Road Conditions: Road travelers should not drive at night due to poor road markings and road hazards such as potholes, sudden lane ends, unmarked road works, unlit parked or stalled vehicles, etc. Drivers should not travel alone on rural roads. Convoy travel is preferable. Spare tires, parts and fuel are a necessary precaution on rural roads since the distance between road services is great in remote areas. Trucks and buses pose particular danger due to excessive speed, poor maintenance, and other dangerous driving habits, such as passing on narrow mountain roads or in poor visibility due to fog common on coastal highways. Truck loads are often unsecured. Drivers should observe legal speed limits. For further information, travelers may wish to contact their nearest automobile club or the Asociacion Automotriz del Peru, 299 Avenida Dos de Mayo, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, tel. (51) (1) 440-0495. Registration/Embassy and Consular Locations: U.S. citizens should register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Lima where updated information on travel conditions and security in Peru is available. The U.S. Embassy is open for citizen services weekdays, except U.S. and local holidays, from 8 AM to noon. The U.S. Embassy is in Monterrico, a suburb of Lima, at Avenida La Encalada, Block Seventeen, telephones (51-1) 434-3000 during business hours (8AM to 5PM) or (51-1) 434-3032 for emergencies during non-business hours. The Consular Agency in Cuzco is located at Avenida Tullumayo 125, telephone (51-8) 424-5102, Internet address USCONAGT@QENCO.RCP.NET.PE. No. 97-140 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Peru dated July 24, 1996 to update health and security information. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories