Economy and Finance Minister Waldo Mendoza on Monday affirmed that pending productive activities have been able to reopen more quickly as the epidemic is less intense now.
"Now that the epidemic is much less virulent than a few months ago, we can reopen the economy a little faster. Furthermore, companies have not disappeared; therefore, the reopening will work," he said in remarks to RPP radio and TV station.
"We are going to post positive growth in the first quarter of next year, thru February or March, with an economy expanding by 10% in 2021. We hope Peru is not hit by a second wave, but we are developing a complex combination between economic reactivation and the danger of a possible new outbreak," he added.
The minister recalled that GDP growth macroeconomic forecasts for this year were quite negative. In fact, the forecasts were getting worse month after month.
"As witnessed in May, June, July, and August, each projection was worse than the other," the government official explained.
"The first one was -4%, which was revised to -8%, -14%, and -20%. But what the past two months have shown is quite the opposite, projections show less severe GDP contractions," he added.
(END) CNA/RMB/MVB
Published: 12/7/2020