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Ricki Chavez Munoz reports on what's hot and happening in Latino America
Soon after the Panama expo, where we could appreciate the success of operations like Fiesta, Crown and Majestic, amongst others, and also the brand new simulcasting betting salon that Codere has opened at the Presidente Remon racetrack, we arrived in Lima, Peru to visit friends and to enjoy the delightful cuisine.
Barely one week before the presidential election run-in, Lima seemed a city full of political opponents screaming blue murder at each other. Whilst the majority of the Lima electors favoured Alan Garcia, there was a radical undercurrent that pulled the same crowd that hung onto Toledo’s poncho, to have a second helping of the freebies and false promises that the outgoing president put at their disposal. That crowd of raving sycophants was supporting, quite literally, a cartoon revolutionary - a retired army commander who sought to commandeer the people of Peru into an economic abyss, and was about 2.66% close to getting elected. Such a scare was enough to depress the Lima Stock Exchange, which later saw a 4 point surge on the Monday following Garcia’s election. Now we are about to go back to Lima for the Peru Gaming Show, which is in its fourth year, on 3 and 4 August. Elizabeth Leiva, MD of Business & Leisures, voted Company of the Year in 2004, who organizes the Peruvian event told us in mid June that the show at the Jockey Plaza Mall Convention Centre had been sold 100%. Lizzy added: “We are preparing a theme event to show Lima’s personality as a great colonial Capital City. We are also presenting a food pavilion offering the best of Peruvian cuisine, which is impacting greatly in Europe, so that our visitors are able to taste our outstanding dishes”. Last year, Korean company ACE A&G ventured overseas for the first time in its history, exhibiting at the Peru Gaming Show, and were rewarded with the “Best Foreign Stand” prize. This year, ACE returns to Peru to close a few contracts, as they did in Colombia, after exhibiting throughout the world. Many new companies will also exhibit their products in this buzzing country. ACE’s virtual horse racing game ACENET ASCOT will show its new software with commentary from Renzo Ramos, Lima’s Monterrico racetrack commentator. I was forgetting to mention the great party that Peru Gaming Show has organized for all visitors to the event, at one of the most significant residences in the bohemian Barranco district. Party animals of all persuasions will not forget this event easily. It’s a promise! See you there. Cheers, Ricki.
