MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News from Chile

Royal Navy officer in Punta Arenas; US dollar recedes after new record; Medical School for Magallanes; Mutiny in factory ship;
Chilean Air Force chief resigns; Lan Chile in the spot light; Penguin-watching for US 3,50 dollars;

Royal Navy officer in Punta Arenas

A Royal Navy officer is currently in Punta Arenas with the Chilean Joint Services War Academy promotion that is visiting military installations in Magallanes Region reports Prensa Austral. The 103 members from the three Chilean services, plus a group of ten invited officers from United States, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, El Salvador and Britain arrived in the Chilean Navy vessel "Achilles" and are scheduled to visit the Army's Fifth Division, Navy's Third Naval Zone and the Fourth Air Brigade. "The Chilean Navy's reputation stands very high overseas, and they are very professional", Royal Navy officer Croome Carroll told Prensa Austral. The British officer said he was most impressed by Southern Chile's geography, the glaciers and snow capped mountains. The group will be leaving the area this coming weekend.

US dollar recedes after new record

The US dollar in Chile dropped to 747 pesos after reaching a record 761 pesos last Thursday when the Chilean Central Bank was forced to a strong intervention in support of the chastised local currency. Last Thursday the Chilean Central Bank announced it was making available two billion US dollars plus another two billion in bonds to cool the US dollar purchasing craze in the local financial market after operations jumped from a daily 320 million to 450 million US dollars. "The Central Banks' decision was appropriate and timely", said Hernan Sommerville president of the Chilean Banks Association. The Brazilian situation, and Mr. Lula's ample victory in the first round is having a greater than expected impact in Chile where investors fear that South America's main economy may be forced to some sort of default, and therefore are taking refuge in the US dollar. The free floating market of the US dollar is responding "with flexibility" in an adverse international scenario, and the "the actual depreciation of the Chilean currency in the last few months is the expected reaction to more adverse conditions", said the Chilean Central Bank in an official release announcing its intervention in the currency market. Exporters however were not pleased with the announcement.

Ban on knives and sharp blades

Magallanes member of Congress Pedro Muñoz has requested Minister of Interior José Miguel Insulza support for the approval of a bill severely sanctioning the use of knives and sharp blades in violent crimes and/or threats. Mr. Muñoz request included a complete list of the latest crimes committed in Magallanes Region involving the use of knives, and the general feeling of insecurity the situation has originated in Punta Arenas. "Given the numerous cases of homicides and violence occurred in Magallanes, it's urgent to send a clear signal of the risks involved in carrying knives or sharp blades particularly at night spots, concerts, or when acting in gangs under the influence of alcohol and drugs", stressed Deputy Muñoz, adding that "current legislation needs to be perfected specifically contemplating those crimes when knives are used for bodily harm". Precisely this last weekend a gang of hoodlums intercepted, robbed and attacked with knives three teenagers from private schools, two boys and a girl. Four of the gang were directly involved in the attack that happened in downtown Punta Arenas at 22:00 hours, according to the police report. The 15 year old girl and a 16 year old boy managed to escape but the second boy was beaten, kicked, mugged and marked with a sharp blade in the head and arms. The girl was from Punta Arenas British School and the two boys from a Catholic institution, Liceo San José.

Medical School for Magallanes

The establishment of a Medical School in the University of Magallanes in the near future is currently under consideration. The announcement was made official during a recent cancer conference held in the Magallanes Regional Hospital. The proposal is particularly important given the coming review of the Chilean Health System and the decentralization of medical teaching. "Chile in 1990 had six medical schools and the number has since jumped to 16, but most of them are in the Santiago metropolitan area", indicated Dr. Octavio Enriquez Dean of the Medicine School of Concepción University the institution that organized the forum in Magallanes. Dr. Enriquez added that creating Medical Schools in the different Chilean Regions is a longstanding ambition of Chile's Medicine Academy, but "we must be very strict regarding academic and educational standards". "It's not enough with the political decision or the will or enthusiasm. However we believe that Magallanes University is prepared to have its own Medical School", concluded Dr. Enriquez.

Mutiny in factory ship

The Chilean Navy evacuated the officer of a factory ship that was wounded in the head during a violent uprising of some Indonesian crewmembers, according to primary information. Officers from the "San Liberatore" flying the Cook Islands flag e-mailed for help while sailing 600 nautical miles north of Chile. Apparently Chief Officer New Zelander John Patrick Brosnan was attacked and injured in the head and chest by several Indonesian sailors. Two Chilean Navy vessels, "Guacolda" and "Fresia" managed to intercept the vessel 325 nautical miles east of the Chilean port of Iquique, and finally transported Mr. Brosnan to the local hospital where he remains in critical condition. "San Liberatore" is expected in Iquique any moment.

Chilean Air Force chief resigns

Finally Chilean Air Force Commander Patricio Ríos resigned helping to defuse a political crisis that was beginning to question president Ricardo Lagos' authority and abort a national reconciliation effort. However president Lagos decided to keep Commander Patricio Ríos in the post until his successor is named. Commander Ríos was forced to resign after a former Air Force general was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly covering up human rights abuses committed during the 18 years Pinochet regime. Former General Patricio Campos, hand picked by General Patricio Ríos was accused of hiding and destroying information about the Air Force's alleged participation in the killing of political dissidents in the seventies and eighties. Apparently General Campos wife, code named "Pochi" actively participated in human rights abuses during the Pinochet years. General Campos is accused of deliberately withholding information to protect other members of the military as well as his wife. The information was intended for a government sponsored reconciliation effort with human rights groups trying to discover the remains of hundreds of Chilean dissidents still unaccounted for from the Pinochet years. The situation rapidly became a political crisis since President Lagos under the current Chilean constitution can't dismiss senior military figures. All Services Commanders are nominated by their equals and then presented to the Chilean president for approval.

Lan Chile in the spot light

A Chilean Congressman and member of the Extreme Zones Committee expressed concern about air transport conditions for Magallanes Region residents given the high costs of Lan Chile air fares forcing travellers in many cases to a time consuming land or sea option. Zarko Luksic from the ruling coalition Christian Democracy said the situation increases Magallanes Region isolation and he has therefore requested Chile's Attorney General in Economic Affairs to look into LAN Chile's fares policy given the possibility of "monopoly practices". "Market circumstances lately have caused a certain friction between travel agencies and air carriers with possible monopoly conduct practices detected, and this is the reason why I have requested the Economic Attorney General Mr. Pedro Mattar to inquire into the matter", said Mr. Luksic in Santiago de Chile. The situation not only has an impact for Magallanes residents but also "a potential threat for an industry vital to the area as tourism", added Mr. Luksic.

Penguin-watching for US 3,50 dollars

Access to Punta Arenas' most popular penguin rookery in Otway will cost this season beginning October 15th 2,500 Chilean pesos, equivalent to 3,50 US dollars, a 20% increase over last year. Ivan Kuzmanic belonging to the Kusanovic Family Foundation said that this season which extends until the end of March, they expect to increase the 40,000 visitors of the 2001/2002 season. Otway was previously managed by the German Otway Foundation but last year the Kusanovic family recovered the property. New footpaths and watching towers have been built to facilitate visitors' access with the minimum disturbance impact on penguins' lives. "Four guide-wardens have been contracted and we're working with the National Environment Office for the establishment of a cafeteria and toilets", added Mr. Kuzmanic. Otway rookery of Magellan penguins is forty miles from Punta Arenas.

Guanaco project in Tierra del Fuego

Four companies acquired the basic information for the commercial exploitation of guanacos in Tierra del Fuego that is to be leased early next year, according to a report in Punta Arenas' Prensa Austral. The project sponsored by Chile's Ministry of Agriculture is targeted to a rational, sustainable management of the 45,000 guanaco population in Tierra del Fuego. Guanaco's meat is lean and low in cholesterol and skins and wool sell at very attractive prices. The winning project must offer a balance between a profitable undertaking, conservation and an adequate number of guanacos that have lately grown beyond Tierra del Fuego habitat conditions. The project proposes a pilot annual extraction of 1,700 animals.