Ollanta Humala sworn in as Peru's new president

Ollanta Humala sworn in as Peru's new president

2011-07-29 04:25:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

LIMA, PERU (BNO NEWS) -- New President of Peru Ollanta Humala on Thursday was sworn in, promising to raise the country's minimum wage and eliminate its centralization among other topics.

Humala, 49, the center-left leader of the Peruvian Nationalist Party, said he would devote his energy in "erasing the face of exclusion and poverty."

Among his first announcements, President Humala said the minimum wage would be raised by 75 Peruvian Nuevos Soles ($27.4) in August, followed by an additional 75 Peruvian Nuevos Soles in 2012, in order to fulfill his promise of increasing the country's minimum wage from 600 to 750 Peruvian Nuevos Soles ($219 to $273.77).

In addition, Humala said his government would take the necessary measures so that Peru has its own national airline with the objective of expanding the country's transportation sector and create more competition. He also announced further expansion of transportation networks such as railways.

Regarding Peru's natural gas sector, Humala promised orienting the country's gas toward its domestic market, as it is currently required to export 4.2 trillion cubic feet. The measure is looking to significantly reduce Peru's gas prices and partly relieve citizens from their economic burdens.

Among other things, the Humala also said a percentage of the country's earnings from its mining sector would be invested in fighting poverty; a new Assembly of Regional Governments would be established to promote coordination and shared management; hospitals would be constructed in the next five years in each of the 50 provincial capitals that do not have hospitals in order to provide equal access to health care and quality medicines; and a pension plan for those above 65 years old and living in poverty worth 250 Peruvian Nuevos Soles ($91.25) per month.

A former army officer, Ollanta founded the Peruvian Nationalist Party in 2005 and ran for president the following year under Union of Peru. He eventually lost to Alan Garcia of the Peruvian Aprista Party. Campaigning with a more equitable framework that promoted the distribution of the country's wealth, Ollanta was elected President of Peru this year over Keiko Fujimori.

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