Jessica Luna warns about lack of leadership in the Ministry of Economy and tourism lag

The former executive director of ComexPerú, Jessica Luna, has recently expressed her concern about the lack of leadership and direction in the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), pointing out that the tourism sector has only managed to recover 57% of its pre-pandemic levels. During the Día 1 Summit, Luna highlighted that while the foreign trade sector is advancing, tourism remains lagging behind, posing a challenge for the country. Luna criticizes the management of the MEF under the leadership of José Arista, stating that the country faces a series of challenges such as a weak economy, lack of private investment projects, a precarious labor market, and an increase in poverty levels. She emphasizes the need for a strong MEF that promotes private investment as a means to generate employment and reduce poverty, but laments the lack of leadership and coordination with other sectors. Regarding the legislative powers requested by the MEF to boost the economy, Luna points out aspects that generate uncertainty and affect business confidence, such as the lack of concrete proposals to reactivate the economy and the populist pressure that has compromised fiscal balance. She also highlights institutional deterioration, mentioning the loss of talent in the Fiscal Council and executive boards, which could affect the ability to generate confidence and promote private investment. Regarding the executive boards, Luna emphasizes the importance of maintaining them in the MEF to ensure proper coordination between the public and private sectors. She highlights achievements in sectors such as mining and aquaculture through these boards, underscoring the need for an MEF that exercises effective leadership and promotes private investment in a coordinated manner. Regarding the proposal for a new agrarian law promoted by the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, Luna emphasizes the importance of including this issue in the MEF's powers, given its impact on private investment and employment in the agro-export sector. However, she points out the lack of leadership from the MEF in this regard, despite the interest shown by Midagri. Regarding expectations for exports and agro-exports, Luna highlights the growth in the fishing and mining sectors but laments the lack of preparedness to fully exploit opportunities in the energy transition. She also emphasizes the importance of the central event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum to promote investments and foreign trade, as well as the need to boost tourism, which continues to lag in its recovery. In terms of road infrastructure, Luna criticizes the lack of progress in connectivity projects, stating that the country is late in infrastructure works, which affects competitiveness and opportunities for the population. She emphasizes the need to improve the infrastructure of regional airports to boost tourism and create development opportunities in these areas. In summary, Jessica Luna's words underscore the importance of having a solid MEF with leadership and coordination capabilities to promote private investment, boost the economy, and address the challenges facing the country in economic and development matters. Luna's constructive criticism invites reflection on the need to strengthen institutions and work together to overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable and equitable growth.