Humala evokes the 1979 military constitution in his oath

Off to a radical start.

Humala evokes the 1979 military constitution in his oath. Lima-Ollanta Humala, a leftist roots retired military, on Thursday became the new president of Peru, a country that boasts one of the highest growth rates in the world but still carries a large social deficit.Humala ruled Peru for the next five years after swearing before Congress with Bible in hand and before the eyes of 10 Latin American presidents and the Prince of Spain.During his oath, Humala evoked the 1979 Constitution of a military government, not the current 1993 as amended by former President Alberto Fujimori.This provoked a strong protest Fujimori legislators shouting "Let him go" just minutes after he placed the presidential sash.The new president, which dramatically slowed their nationalist ideas throughout the campaign that led to the presidency, succeeds Alan Garcia, who completed his second term after having ruled Peru between 1985 and 1990.

English Translation of Humala’s Inauguration Speech

In a public declaration signed a few weeks before the second round, Humala promised to respect the constitution and freedom of the press. Both the ministers of defense and the interior will be civilians. He will defend the separation of powers. His main thrust will be policies with sustained growth and inclusion: economic, social, ethnic, geographic and cultural, especially of the most poor. In this thrust he will have the support of Toledo who had made the redistribution of the benefits a key part of his program.

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Consider Humala's promise on the inaugural dais to abide by the national constitution—not the current one, but the prior version, drafted in 1979. The reference was a swipe at the 1993 charter written during the tenure of AlbertoFujimori, the divisive dictator who closed congress and ruled with an iron hand.Humala has a point. Though drafted by legislators and approved by a national referendum, the current constitution was heavily influenced by Fujimori. (His opponents boycotted the election of the constituent assembly that wrote the charter). But it also sanctioned economic liberties—privatization and rolling back state interference in the market—that untethered the economy and transformed Peru from a chronically dysfunctional nation into a model for Latin America.The result has been the most spectacular jag of growth in the region. Surfing the commodities boom, Peru's economy has expanded for the last 12 consecutive years, with low inflation and nearly $47 billion in international reserves. With jobs in mining and construction on the rise and better social spending, the number of Peruvians living in poverty has dropped from nearly half to 31percent, in a decade. And another $42 billion in foreign investments are reckoned to be in the works in mining alone.
 

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PNE Opinion:

Humala signed a promise not to change the constitution. So why the deliberate and unnecessary agitation? Unless he plans on breaking that promise. Humala also outlined a socialist redistribution plan that will definitely hurt small businesses, infrastructure projects and lose jobs. Humala's plan would make even Barack Obama blush. Seems Humala is interested in starting a political war and economic upheaval rather than governing through constitutional incremental change. Although, I must admit, the stick in the eye approach to governing would seem appropriate for a man of Humala’s limited abilities.

And the condescending and dismissive treatment, by the TV news creeps (Nicolás Lúcar, etc.), of Congresswoman Martha Chavez came off as astoundingly chauvinistic. I guess Perú media has not moved past adolescence. They still have a lot of pimples!


Looks like we are off to a radical start. Pray for us!

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