Peruvian shamans' 2010 predictions

Peruvian faith-healers have gathered in Lima to predict the fortunes in 2010 of world leaders and celebrities, ranging from US President Barack Obama to football player Diego Maradona.

The shamans prayed for a better understanding among the Latin American nations. They performed rituals with the pictures of well-known figures, and wished them good luck for the entering year. The ceremony is normally performed each year at the San Cristobal hill behind the Presidential Palace in Lima.

Juan Osco, a Peruvian shaman, said, "It is a special ritual to welcome the arrival of 2010. It gives good luck, good fortune and we use it to ask for world peace. We ask Obama to get closer to Cuba and for Chile to have better relations with Peru, and we want Hugo Chavez not to have more trouble with Colombia. We want peace, we want tranquillity for everybody in the world, we want our country to get stronger and good luck for it. Let's get rid of the bad luck and let's welcome 2010."

A shaman performs during a ritual of predictions for the new year  with a picture of Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo in  Lima December 28, 2009. REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil