Andina

Peruvian economy recovers at a similar pace to other LatAm countries

Lima

Lima's financial center in San Isidro district. Photo: ANDINA/Norman Cordova

11:53 | Lima, Sep. 9.

Economy and Finance Minister Maria Antonieta Alva affirmed that the Peruvian economy is recovering at a rate similar to that of Latin American countries, which imposed less severe restrictions than Peru in order to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have gradually resumed activities, and in June 2020, the Peruvian economy recovered at a rate similar to that of Latin American countries, which imposed less severe restrictions to face the pandemic," she posted on Twitter.

The minister affirmed that Peru will be one of the countries in the region —together with Chile and Colombia— whose gross domestic product (GDP) will return to pre-COVID-19 levels in 2022.

"The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) will continue working to promote the engines of development that enable us to deliver more and better services to the population," she said.

Leading indicators

The government official emphasized that since the health emergency began, the Government has prioritized people's lives.

"We found that the reactivation and the Economic Plan are already showing positive results. Various leading indicators of economic activity show a significant improvement. For example, electricity generation began to recover and is returning to pre-COVID-19 levels," she stated.

According to Alva, the same happens with the domestic cement consumption, which reflects the performance of the construction sector. "Sales in non-primary sectors and exports also show greater dynamism."
 
Strengths

The high-ranking official stressed that Peru's macroeconomic strengths (low levels of public debt and fiscal deficit, high international reserves, and low inflation) have been an important factor contributing to the rapid recovery.

"Economic agents' expectations are also improving, which means more investments in the coming months," she added.

(END) SDD/RMB/MVB

Published: 9/9/2020