Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Wally Doerge) Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Peru Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 15:12:13 GMT STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Peru ============================================================ Peru - Travel Warning May 27, 1993 Warning: U.S. citizens are warned against all travel to Peru until further notice. With the exception of certain tourist areas, terrorist violence continues to affect a large part of the country. No. 93-020 This extends the Travel Warning for Peru dated March 19, 1993. Peru - Consular Information Sheet May 27, 1993 Warning: U.S. citizens are warned against travel to Peru until further notice. With the exception of certain tourist areas, terrorist violence continues to affect a large part of the country. Country Description: Peru has a developing economy. Tourist facilities outside major cities and tourist areas may not be adequate. Entry Requirements: A passport is required. U.S. citizens do not need a visa for a one-month stay. For current information concerning entry and customs requirements for Peru, travelers can contact the Peruvian Embassy at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone (202) 833-9860, or the nearest consulate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Newark, New York, Houston, or San Juan. Medical Facilities: Medical care does not meet U.S. standards. Cholera is present in Peru. However, visitors who follow proper precautions about food and drink are not generally at risk. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. In some instances, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved useful. For further information, the traveler can contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559. Terrorist Activities: With the exception of certain tourist areas (Arequipa, Cuzco, Ica, Iquitos, Paracas, Puerto Maldonado, Puno, and Trujillo), many parts of the country are designated as "emergency zones" (i.e. areas governed by martial law). These zones are extremely dangerous because of terrorist and criminal activities. Despite the arrest of their key leadership in 1992, two insurgent organizations, Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) continue to carry out bombings and other terrorist attacks against a range of targets in Peru, principally Peruvian nationals, government installations, and banks, but also against U.S. as well as other foreign interests. The city of Lima is located in Lima Department, a designated emergency zone. Bombings and terrorist incidents have been frequent in the city, and violent crime is common. U.S. citizens who travel to designated emergency zones outside Lima are subjecting themselves to extraordinary risk. These zones are extremely dangerous regions where both terrorism and violent crime are common. Overland travel to or through the emergency zones outside the capital city of Lima is particularly dangerous. Emergency Zones: The following areas have been designated as emergency zones by the Peruvian government: Apurimac Department, Ayacucho Department, Huanacavelica Department, Huanuco Department, Junin Department, Lima Department (except the city of Lima), Pasco Department, San Martin Department, Ucayali Department (except for air travel to the city of Pucallpa), the La Convencion and Calco provinces within the Cuzco Department, and the Ucayali and Alto Amazonas provinces within the Loreto Department. Crime Information: Street crime such as pickpocketing and armed robbery, in or near hotels and residences, is very common. Foreigners carrying cash are identifiable targets for thieves. Robberies are a serious problem in the tourist cities of Cuzco and Iquitos. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the U.S. Embassy. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" which is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Also available from the same address is the Department of State publication "Tips for Travelers to Central and South America." Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties in Peru for possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Adoptions: Peruvian adoptions take a minimum of 90 days to complete. However, most cases take significantly longer. Corruption surrounding the adoption process is widespread and judicial strikes and delays are common. Recent judicial changes coupled with a growing concern on the part of the Peruvian government regarding allegations of abuses has caused increasing uncertainty for adopting parents. The Peruvian Embassy in Washington, D.C. encourages prospective adopting parents to consult its staff for information on the adoption process. Because of the dangerous conditions existing in the emergency zones, it is unsafe for prospective adopting parents to travel to an emergency zone in search of a child for adoption or to obtain documentation. Updated information on Peruvian adoption proceedings and U.S. immigrant visa requirements is available from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy. Additional information is available by writing the Office of Citizens Consular Services, CA/OCS/CCS, Room 4817, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, or by telephoning (202) 647-3712. Embassy Location/Registration: Upon arrival U.S. citizens are requested to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Lima at Grimaldo del Solar 346, Miraflores, telephone (51-14) 44-3621 or 44-3121 to obtain the latest travel and security information within Peru. The U.S. Embassy is located at the corner of Avenidas Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Espana, telephone (51-14) 33-8000. There is also a consular agency in Cuzco at Avenida Tullumayo 125, telephone (51-84) 23-3541. No. 93-150 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Peru dated March 19, 1993 to add information on reporting the loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport.