[MSN] Foreign Ministry official arrested for selling historic Peruvian manuscripts

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Foreign Ministry official arrested for selling historic Peruvian manuscripts - update -

(LIP-wb) Jorge Flavio Vera Ramirez (52), an official of Peru's Foreign Ministry, was arrested yesterday for selling valuable patrimonial documents to an international dealer organization.

The arrest came few days after detectives stopped a deal of two manuscripts stemming from Peru's colonial time that were supposed to leave the country illegally. Investigations led to Vera being in charge of the shipment to foreign antique dealers.

According to Police sources, Vera Ramirez took advantage of his position. He robbed manuscripts from the 18th and 19th century declared as National Cultural Patrimony from the Archives where he worked during the government of Alberto Fujimori. Exactly how many written artifacts were stolen and sold by Vera is still being investigated.

Vera admitted to selling the documents for US$ 30,000 and stated that he obtained them from the permanent "Amazon" book exhibition at the National Museum where “mafias buy and sell these manuscripts”.

He was arrested in one of his houses located in Los Olivos (Lima). Police discovered incriminating evidence at his second residence in Pueblo Libre which include handwritten phone numbers and emails from Vera's account "jvra20 at yahoo.es" detailing the negotiations. Most of his clients were from England.

The district attorney filed charges against Vera yesterday, accusing him of systematic robbery of documents belonging to Peru's heritage.

Sept. 1, 2006, 7:00 p.m. - update -

Historic Peruvian manuscripts dating back to the 16th centuryPeru customs (SUNAT) informed another 114 historic manuscripts from Peru's colonial era have been discovered before they left the country illegally.

They were discovered inside 8 different carrier mail envelopes at the Serpost station in San Martin de Porres (Lima), mailed in Lima and rural areas and destined to various countries.

The documents stem from the 16th, 17th and 18th century and were apparently stolen from Peru's General Archives (AGN). Some of them were authored by Manuel Amat y Juniet, Viceroy of Peru from 1761-1776, containing payroll listings and orders for soldiers who "defended" the Spanish Kingdom in the Americas.

Also recovered were purchase documents for black slaves and inventories for merchandise coming from Europe, among others.

The manuscripts were given back to representatives of the General Archives for their appropriate conservation and protection. Police Investigations are ongoing.

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