In the wake of a corruption scandal, Peru’s President Alan García moved quickly to choose a new prime minister who could help him build consensus and boost his approval ratings, which remain low in spite of the country’s economic expansion in recent years.
AS/COA hosted its annual conference in Lima on September 4, featuring a remarks by President Alan García, Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo, and Foreign Affairs Minister José Antonio García Belaunde. Read a summary of the event.
Several economies in Latin America have thus far shown signs of being able to weather the U.S. credit crunch. Peru serves as a prime example, posting impressive growth results.
In recent weeks, Ottawa proved its growing clout in Latin America through a visit from Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, the approval of a trade pact with Peru, and completion of free-trade negotiations with Colombia.
With tensions running high between some Andean countries, AS/COA convened a roundtable on economic, political, and security issues affecting the region. The discussion included a keynote speech by Ecuador's Minister of the Government and Police Fernando Bustamante.
Leaders from the European Union and Latin America gathered in Lima for a biennial summit, focusing on trade, inequality, and climate change as rising food prices threaten to exacerbate poverty.
Following the release of first quarter indicators and news of record FDI rates, several Latin American countries showed capacity to weather global economic volatility. But analysts warn of slower growth in the coming year.