The Peruvian government in a surprise decision retired from the organization of the 2016 Dakar Rally. This is what the Dakar organizers said about this decision:
The Organizers of the Dakar have acknowledged the final decision of the Peruvian authorities to cancel the Inca Desafío, which was scheduled to be held this coming 11 to 13 September, as well as the stages of the 2016 Dakar that were presented last April during a joint press conference.
Due to forecasts concerning the El Nino weather phenomenon, which is expected to be extremely violent this year, the Peruvian government has decided to make this issue a national priority by ensuring that all state services are able to mobilize if necessary to help the population that could be affected.
While hoping that the people of Peru will not have to face these predicted disasters, the entire Dakar organizing team is already hard at work to create an alternative route with optimal sporting and safety conditions both in Argentina and Bolivia.
The Dakar organizing team is at the disposal of all the competitors who have already entered to provide all relative information concerning these route changes in a timely manner.
The final route of the 2016 Dakar will be announced in the second half of September.
While hoping that the people of Peru will not have to face these predicted disasters, the entire Dakar organizing team is already hard at work to create an alternative route with optimal sporting and safety conditions both in Argentina and Bolivia.
The Dakar organizing team is at the disposal of all the competitors who have already entered to provide all relative information concerning these route changes in a timely manner.
The final route of the 2016 Dakar will be announced in the second half of September.
Statement courtesy of http://www.dakar.com/
This is the statement from the Peruvian government:
COMUNICADO
El Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo comunica a la opinión pública, que en vista del impacto que el Fenómeno del Niño podría tener en distintas zonas del país y, en previsión a los efectos en la población como consecuencia del mismo, se ha decidido cancelar la participación en los eventos automovilísticos Dakar Series 2015 y Rally Dakar 2016.
El anuncio de la participación del Perú en este evento, se realizó cuando la predicción de dicho fenómeno no había alcanzado las condiciones actuales, tal como lo a comunicado recientemente el Comite Multisectorial del Estudio Nacional del Fenómeno del Niño (ENFEN).
Esta decisión obedece a la necesaria priorización para atenuar los efectos sobre la población.
Lima, 24 de agosto de 2015
OFICINA DE COMUNICACIONES Y PROTOCOLO
MINISTERIO DE COMERCIO EXTERIOR Y TURISMO
Statement courtesy of MINCETUR
I think that it is a bad decision from the Peruvian government. The Inca Desafío Rally was going to be this September, which is before the El Niño weather phenomenon, and the organizers of the Dakar always check for all the unexpected things than can happen during The Dakar Rally (including weather phenomenons), and reduce all possible risks to a minimum. I think that the Peruvian government is not telling the complete story about its decision. For example, the Peruvian driver Fernando Ferrand Malatesta (6 times Dakar Rally competitor) said "I am sad because of the news because it leaves the country in a bad situation. The government have searched for an excuse that have no sense"
Fernando Ferrand Malatesta interview courtesy of http://www.rpp.com.pe/2015-08-24-dakar-2016-ferrand-malatesta-acusa-al-gobierno-de-crear-una-cortina-de-humo-noticia_829762.html
It is true that the El Niño weather phenomenon is going to be very strong in Peru, but I think that The 2016 Dakar Rally can be done in Peru with great help from the organizers of the Dakar.
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| The 2015/2016 Niño weather phenomenon |
Lewis Hamilton 
Nico Rosberg 
Valtteri Bottas 
