On October 13, the deadline for senior officials and authorities to resign from their positions to run in the 2026 general elections expired; but, without a doubt, those who made the most noise were the former regional governor of La Libertad, Cesar Acunaand the former mayor of Metropolitan Lima, Rafael Lopez Aliaga. How do they leave their tasks?
Let’s start in the north. In recent years, La Libertad has made more news for insecurity and attacks by illegal miners than for its good economic performance. Even, according to data from the Private Competitiveness Council (CPP), between 2021 and 2024 the losses in this area due to crime reached S/493 million, one of the highest amounts, only below Lima (S/2,707 million) and Callao (S/527 million).
In addition, the second quarter registered a decrease in its productive activity of 1.5%, according to INEI data. This decline was a consequence of the fall in the fishing (-77.7%), mining and hydrocarbons (-19.7%), manufacturing (-3.8%) and telecommunications, and other information services (-1.9%) sectors.
Meanwhile, according to information from the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), public investment decreased 27.1% in July, mainly as a result of the lower disbursement of the national government in this region. With this result, the indicator accumulated a drop of 1.6% in seven months.
And if we talk about public investment, according to the Friendly Consultation portal of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), La Libertad has a modified institutional budget (PIM) that exceeds S/857 million, of which it has only disbursed 57.1% until October 17. Furthermore, sectors such as the environment and tourism register execution progress below the average, which stands at 21.7% and 28%, respectively.
NON-COMPLIANCE
The panorama regarding public disbursement of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima is greater than that of La Libertad. The data reveal that as of September 17, progress is 73.5%.
Although this percentage may sound encouraging, this commune does leave a great concern. In June of this year, the Fiscal Council warned about the fiscal deterioration of this municipality and stated that “it has agreed upon excessive levels of debt, given its capacity to generate its own income.”
“As a consequence of the debt operations carried out by the current municipal administration, the total debt balance of the MML increased to S/3,454 million at the end of 2024; and, with the recent third issuance of bonds for S/1,300 million, it would have increased to approximately S/4,754 million,” he indicated.
Added to this are the arbitrations lost due to breach of contracts, such as the one presented by Rutas de Lima, which can mean more debts.
NO IMPACT
For the former Vice Minister of Economy, Carlos Casas, and for the Public Policy Manager of the Peruvian Institute of Economics Víctor Fuentes, changes in the management of municipalities and regional governments should not affect investment in these areas.
However, for Casas there is a lack of execution capacity as a result of the lack of civil service and the high turnover of officials. Meanwhile, Fuentes considered that it is necessary that the rules and criteria be respected, and that contracts not be breached.
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