Peru’s crisis continues to rage, with protests almost daily on the streets of Lima. A long history of issues explains the current situation. Peru’s economic model brought growth and reduced poverty, but fell short of truly enfranchising the country’s most marginalized; the country’s political parties are considered by many to be dysfunctional. In this episode, Brian Winter and Luis Miguel Castilla, a former finance minister of Peru between 2011 and 2014, analyze what brought the country here and assess what might come next. Castilla argues for a middle ground that addresses the legitimate demands of Peruvian society for greater social protections and rights without throwing out the economic framework that allowed Peru to grow almost uninterruptedly for decades.
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Guests:
Luis Miguel Castilla served as finance minister (2011-14) under President Ollanta Humala and as Peru’s ambassador do the U.S.
Brian Winter is AQ’s editor-in-chief.
Supplemental reading:
A Way Forward for Peru by Luis Miguel Castilla
At Peru Protests’ Epicenter, Rage—And a Sense of Betrayal by Gonzalo Banda
Graphic: Peru’s Young Politicians by AQ editors
AQ Podcast: Colombia and Peru’s Struggle to Protect Venezuelans
