An investigation into the political wing of Peru'sShining Path has revealed the extensive nature of the imprisoned guerrilla commander Abimael Guzman's involvement in directing the group, as recently arrested Movadef leaders face up to lengthy prison sentences for ties to drug money.

Ex-presidents Felipe Calderon of Mexico, Alan Garcia of Peru and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia brought to Bogota the fad for selfies that has overtaken Hollywood and US President Barack Obama. In charge of posting the dignitaries' picture on the social network Twitter was Calderon, and judging by the look of concentration on his face, he seems to have been the photographer as well.

On a warm summer morning earlier this month, dozens of building workers were putting the finishing touches to the restoration of Casa Moreyra, a 17th-century colonial manor house in San Isidro, the business district of Lima, Peru’s capital. With an investment of $6m, Casa Moreyra is the new home of Astrid y Gastón, a restaurant ranked 14th in the world by Restaurant magazine.

Paddington Bear is a much-loved children’s character from deepest, darkest Peru. He’s also an illegal immigrant. According to Michael Bond’s classic books, Paddington is an illegal stowaway who entered Britain with no partner or means of supporting himself, then adopted a different identity before staying in the UK indefinitely.

One of the unintended consequences of Peru’s booming economy is that life in the capital is becoming more stressful. Lima is covered in construction sites, competition for the best jobs, and housing is brutal, and traffic is horrendous. Still, people there are finding creative ways to relax in the midst of all that. Some of them are turning to Buddhist meditation.

The abandoned Packard Plant in Detroit is one of the most famous buildings to be sold after the city filed for bankruptcy. It’s famous both for its mammoth size — 40 acres in the eastern part of the city — and its state of ruin. The plant has been closed for more than 60 years and aerial photos make it look like a scene from a disaster film. But that doesn't seem to daunt Spanish developer Fernando Palazuelo, who lives in Lima, Peru. He recently bought the Detroit plant at an auction.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2013 as the International Year of the Quinoa, a high-protein, grain-like crop from the Andes. Whether consumers of quinoa around the world associate this crop with Peru, a major producer of quinoa, is debatable. Nevertheless, quinoa’s widespread popularity is helping the Peruvian government expand its international presence via culinary diplomacy.

Latin America’s stock markets have provided a nail-biting roller-coaster for investors. Prices roared higher before the global financial crisis in 2007, and then collapsed. They have failed to regain those highs, despite values almost doubling in 2009. This year has been particularly poor. While Western markets have been in buoyant mood in 2013, Latin America shares have fallen by nearly 20pc.