José Távara: “The Government has no clear direction other than power”

When this interview was conducted, José Távara and the writer of these lines were awaiting Boluarte’s decision on the fate of Alex Contreras. Beyond the change in the actions of the Minister of Economy, the academic’s analysis does not lose validity: The Government of Dina Boluarte has a compass foreign to growth for everyone and favors particular interests.

—What has happened to the Peruvian economy to reach this situation of uncertainty?

—The big problem is not the management of the economy, but that we are adrift, in a mess. It is a Government that does not have a clear goal and its only goal is to remain in power until 2026. That, in alliance with the congressmen. There is no urgent reform like in security to address the assaults or the demands of the police. In education, we have counter-reforms. It goes in the reverse direction. This affects the pockets of citizens.

—In economic matters, a tax reform is not contemplated to take advantage of the high prices of metals…

—It is very important and related, it is almost a precondition for reforms in health, education and essential services. Our country is becoming poorer in several ways.

—What profile is required in the MEF to resume the path of growth and bring it closer to the people?

—It doesn’t seem to me that only the change of the Minister of Economy is being discussed, as if that were the magic wand. Under the current circumstances, what qualified, upright and honest economist would risk his prestige by joining a Government that has given no signs other than to stay until 2026? And if he had, what could he do with this Government? It is not an issue of people, but of policies.

—Is the MEF a hot iron?

—Yes, it’s a hot iron. There is never a shortage of candidates interested in putting on the sash, but under current conditions…

—Considering the reduction in obligations to agro-exporters, is Contreras’ management very clientelistic with large businessmen?

—This is the type of decisions to which an Economy Minister is subject. He has to suck it up and accept the pressure. Remain silent when Congress does atrocities that destroy the country’s institutions and increase the possibilities of corruption. Tax benefits are given without further support to a sector that has already received them for many years. I wonder: why not give it to traders or textiles or construction?

—Listening to it, whoever enters has to follow an agenda until 2026. How does this affect the expectations of the horizon?

—A country that does not undertake reforms, a country that paralyzes, that does nothing, It is a country that goes backwards and a country that loses if we do not give everything we can giveLet’s say, in terms of the urgent reforms that all experts and the population in general expect.

—Has the MEF fallen short with its reactivation programs?

-Definitely. We have a huge deficit. Subnational governments have not executed budgets. Reforms are required to unblock and streamline decision-making processes and thus raise the quality of investment projects to improve the system.