Cato Scholar Statement on Peru’s Presidential Transition

“With the inauguration of Keiko Fujimori as president of Peru today, the South American country becomes the latest in the region that has installed a new government by rejecting the far left in popular elections. Fujimori has the opportunity to reduce the instability that has characterized Peruvian politics for the past ten years and to build on the country’s strong economic fundamentals to increase growth. But those results are not entirely in her hands as the political left, in and outside of the Congress, will almost certainly try to frustrate her ability to govern in some of the ways that have become familiar to Peruvians. With the initiation of the Senate as a new legislative chamber, however, it will be more difficult to oust presidents, so that will partially limit some of the political instability that we can still expect. Peru has dodged a bullet by electing a president who will not tear down democracy; on the contrary, the hope is that Fujimori will strengthen democracy and try to bring together a divided country.”