MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 19th 2024 - 08:59 UTC

 

 

Humala promises a ‘national concerted government’ and close links to Mercosur

Monday, June 6th 2011 - 17:04 UTC
Full article 10 comments
Peruvian president elect addresses his followers in downtown Lima Peruvian president elect addresses his followers in downtown Lima

Peruvian president-elect nationalist Ollanta Humala promised Monday a ‘national concerted government” with representation of all democratic forces and open to the civil community.

The former Army officer also said his administration will be committed to have Peru incorporated to Mercosur and strengthening relations in the region.

“We are looking with special interest the participation of Peru in Mercosur without neglecting consolidating the community of free nations”, said Humala adding that strengthening international relations particularly in Latin America would be the target of his administration.

Regarding domestic policy Humala said that consolidating economic growth will be the great engine for “social inclusion which Peruvians are longing for and has been the clear mandate of the ballot box”.

Humala was also conciliatory towards Keiko Fujimori whom she defeated Sunday in one of Peru’s tightest election ever.

“To my adversary in these elections, my respects: the electoral campaign is over and on July 28 the president of all Peruvians will be taking office with the responsibility of giving continuity to the task of consolidating our growth”.

In a similar spirit the president elect referred to dialogue with neighbouring Chile, a country with which Peru has long standing border and historic differences dating back to the 1879 Pacific war.

“We are willing to build a constructive agenda that enables us to solve as quick as possible historic problems and look ahead”, said Humala.

“What matters is respect for national and international law. In this framework if the government of Chile wishes to review the free trade agreement, we will sit down to discuss. We have no inconvenient”.

On Monday following on Humala’s victory stocks tumbled the most in two years, the currency sank and dollar bonds plummeted.

Peru’s benchmark Lima General Index of stocks declined the most since October 2008, retreating 8.7% to 19,378.78, before trading was halted.

The Sol sank 1.2% to 2.7962 per US dollar. Yields on dollar-denominated bonds due 2037 rose 20 basis points, or 0.2 percentage points, to 5.94%.

Peru under current Presidents Alan García and his predecessor Alejandro Toledo became the fastest growing Latin American economy over the past decade, but investors remain concerned Humala will raise mining royalties and impose more state control over natural resources.

Peru is the world’s top silver producer, third in copper and zinc and sixth in gold. Export revenue from mineral exports rose by 27% to a record 21 billion US dollars on surging prices.

Humala has pledged to extend the country’s mining boom to the nation’s poor.

“The people have been waiting a long time for change,” Humala told thousands of supporters at a Sunday midnight rally in downtown Lima. “It’s not possible to say that the country is progressing when 12 million people are living in extreme poverty without electricity or running water.”

Humala as an Army lieutenant colonel in 2000 led 50 soldiers who seized and occupied for a week one of Southern Cooper’s mines to protest corruption in Fujimori’s government. His brother, Antauro Humala, is in jail for killing four policemen during the takeover of a highland town in 2005.

 

Categories: Politics, Latin America.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Fido Dido

    I thought Keiko would win it, but Mr. Humala pulled it out. This is a nail in the coffin of neoliberalism.

    Jun 06th, 2011 - 06:22 pm 0
  • Forgetit87

    His victory would have been overwhelming if the Peruvian media had not sided so blatantly with Keiko.

    Jun 06th, 2011 - 09:21 pm 0
  • Fido Dido

    I agree, Private Peruvian Media was (still is) overwhelmingly biased against Mr Humala, specially that Liberal clown Jaime Bayly who had for weeks anti Humala shows. Do you know that guy? His family is also in the mining business and banking.

    Jun 07th, 2011 - 12:14 am 0
Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!