Download - Society of Vertebrate Paleontology - cientificos.pe · The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology exists to advance the science and education of vertebrate paleontology and to serve the

SocietyofVertebratePaleontology9650RockvillePike�Bethesda,MD20814-3998Phone:(301)634-7814�Fax:(301)634-7455Email:[email protected]�Web:www.vertpaleo.orgFEIN:06-0906643

SalvadorA.delSolarLabartheMinisterofCultureAv.JavierPradoEste2465SanBorjaLima41,Perú

24May2017

Subject:IXCongresoLatinoamericanodePaleontología,2016

DearMinisterdelSolar:

OnbehalfoftheSocietyofVertebratePaleontology,wearewritingtorequestaninvestigationintotheorganizationandfinancingoftheIXCongresoLatinoamericanodePaleontologíathatwasheldinattheMinistryofCulturebuildinginLimaduringSeptember,2016.IthascometoourattentionthatseriousirregularitieswereexperiencedbymembersofthepaleontologicalscientificcommunitywhoparticipatedintheCongress,whichnotonlynegativelyimpactedthempersonally,buthasalsothreatenedtocompromisethereputationofthePeruvianpaleontologicalcommunityingeneral.

TheSocietyofVertebratePaleontologyexiststoadvancethescienceandeducationofvertebratepaleontologyandtoservethecommoninterestsofallmembersofourdiscipline.Withover2,500membersfromeverycontinentexceptAntarctica,wearethelargestprofessionalorganizationofpaleontologistsintheworld.

WeareconcernedabouttheallegationsthathavebeenmadeabouttheorganizationoftheCongress,aswellasabouttheabnormalitiesthatoccurred.ScheduledfieldtripsattheCongressdidnotrun,eventhoughparticipantshadpaidinadvanceforthem,andkeynotespeakerswerenotissuedairlineticketsandsowerenotabletoattendtheCongress.Mostworryingly,allegationsabouttheCongressPresident,CarlosVildoso,headoftheInstitutoPeruanodeEstudiosenPaleovertebrados(IPEP),havebeenmadeinpublicatthe35thInternationalGeologicalCongressinCapeTownandinprintintheattachedpaperbyGutiérrez-Marcoetal.,2016.ThissituationfurtherconcernsthevertebratepaleontologicalcommunitybecausearepresentativeofthePeruvianMinistryofCulturewasamemberoftheOrganizingCommitteeasPresidentoftheEthicsand

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Regulations(“PresidenteEticayNormativa”)ofthemeeting.Iftheallegationsaretrue,actionneedstobetakentomakeamendstothosewhowerefinanciallydeprived;iffalse,actionneedstobetakentosettherecordstraight.Eitherwaytheseissueshavethepotentialtoundermineexistingcordialandproductiveinternationalrelationsamongourpaleontologicalcolleagues,tohindertheadvancementofpaleontologyinPeru,andtobedetrimentalfororganizingorsponsoringfuturepaleontologicalorscientificeventsinPeru.TheeventsalsohavethepotentialtobringtheMinistryofCultureintodisreputebecausetheCongresswasco-sponsoredbytheMinistry,theIPEP,andtheUniversidaddePiura.

Forthesakeofacademicintegrityandorganizationaltransparency,weurgetheMinistryofCulturetoconsiderinvestigatingthecircumstancesoftheCongressandtoensurethatresourceswerespentappropriatelyinadvancingthemissionoftheMinistryofCultureandeffectivelypromotingthereputationofPeruvianacademicsandscience.

Sincerelyyours,

P.DavidPollyPresident,TheSocietyofVertebratePaleontology

EmilyJ.RayfieldVicePresident,TheSocietyofVertebratePaleontology

JohnA.LongPastPresident,TheSocietyofVertebratePaleontology

Cc:JorgeErnestoArrunáteguiGadeaViceministrodePatrimonioCulturaleIndustriasCulturalesEdwinAvelinoBenaventeGarcía

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DirectorGeneral(e)delaDirecciónGeneraldePatrimonioCulturalDra.MargaritaMilagroDelgadoArroyoSecretarioGeneralMinisteriodeCulturaBlancaMargaritaAlvaGuerreroDirectoraGeneral(e)delaDirecciónGeneraldeDefensadelPatrimonioCulturalPatriciaÁngelaBocanelPennyDirectoradelaDireccióndeControlySupervisiónGerardoSabinoMorenoAriasDirectordelaDireccióndeGestión,RegistroyCatalogacióndeBienesCulturalesMueblesCarlosFelipePalomaresVillanuevaDirectorGeneraldelaOficinaGeneraldeAdministraciónMáximoAlfonsoJavierGonzálezPazJefedelÓrganodeControlInstitucional,MinisteriodeCulturaFranciscoEnriquePetrozziFrancoPresidentedelaComisióndeCultura,CongresodelaRepúblicaMaríaCristinaMelgarejoPaucarVice-PresidentadelaComisióndeCultura,CongresodelaRepúblicaManuelEnriqueDammertEgoAguirreSecretario,ComisióndeCultura,CongresodelaRepúblicaVictorPachecoTorresDirectordelMuseodeHistoriaNatural-UNMSMOscarHubertBernuyVerandPresidentedelInstitutoGeológicoMineroyMetalúrgico