Peru's Humala suspends brother over ethics flap

[Judi Lynn]

Peru's Humala suspends brother over ethics flap
Sat Jul 9, 2011 7:17am BST

(Reuters) - Peru's President-elect Ollanta Humala on Friday suspended his brother from his political coalition after he flew to Russia to meet with Gazprom executives about investing in the Andean country's gas fields.

Peruvian newspapers say the July 5 meeting reeked of nepotism after communiques by Gazprom and Russia's foreign ministry said Alexis Humala was sent as a "special representative" of the president-elect. News of the meeting, which surfaced on Thursday, quickly became the leader's first ethics crisis since winning election.

But the president-elect, who campaigned as an anti-corruption crusader, said his brother went to Moscow without his knowledge to angle for business with the world's largest natural gas company, state-controlled Gazprom (GAZP.MM).

Alexis Humala attended a university in Russia and lived there for many years.

More:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/07/09/peru-politics-humala-idUKN1E76800920110709?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=governmentFilingsNews

[joshcryer]

1. Heh! Could this be connected to his visit to the US?

If those gas fields go to a US company you have to suspect it.

[Derechos]

2. I fear that the very people who tied their

hopes to Humala bringing a different domestic economic development policy to Peru will be sorely disappointed. I remember speaking with rural farmers in Piura last year (they are fighting the establishment of a mining sector in their region, an area with unique landscapes and enormous biodiversity - they are not against development, just this kind - the soil there is rich and great for organic farming and they want economic support to develop their crops for export), and he was their guy. He was going to put a stop to the massive campaign to grant concession to all of Peru's subsurface resources without any prior consultation or consent as well as slow down the pace of IIRSA. If Humala doesn't find a new way to build a more inclusive development agenda that not only extends its benefits beyond the political and economic elite but also includes more voices in the debate surrounding its development, the violence currently impacting nearly all of Peru's Departments will likely continue.