The economy, political turmoil, and the pandemic, by Melina Galdos

Melina Galdos

of evidence

Researcher in the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex. An MA in Public Policy from the University of Glasgow and a degree in Political Science from PUCP. His research work revolves around the role of technology and innovation in sustainable and inclusive transformation processes.

25 April 2022Updated Apr 25, 2022 | 5:37 AM

73% of the 3,038 interviewed indicated that their economic situation was worse than it was a year ago.

researcher. Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex.

The Americas Barometer is one of the most ambitious efforts to measure the attitudes of citizens of twenty countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States and Canada. This public opinion survey covers various areas related to the democratic behavior of these countries, their economy, rule of law, state capacity, trust in institutions, corruption, among others, allowing us to have a detailed outline of how citizens perceive and how they are affected by these phenomena at the state level and in a manner comparison.

His latest report puts on the table useful evidence for locating the pandemic in the daily lives of these countries, eliciting some answers about its impact on political discontent and understanding the extent of its impact on the economy in the region, particularly through the growth of poverty and inequality. One of the most impressive data in relative terms concerns the economic situation of the interviewees in our country. you can see:

BCRP: Formal employment grew 7.5% as of February 202273% of 3,038 people interviewed indicated that their economic situation was worse than it was a year ago

. This places Peru as the country in which more citizens see themselves in the worst economic situation in the entire region, only behind Haiti (86%).

Between 2006 and 2019, this same number was mostly positive: between 68% and 86% of the population surveyed said their economy was better than it was in the previous year, contrasting with the 27% recorded in 2021. you can see:

BCRP: Income tax collection grew 86% in March

This number is accompanied by a decline in perceptions of the legitimacy of elections (only 33% believe in them) and satisfaction with democracy, which has reached a historic low of 21% in the past 15 years. Although a comprehensive and adequate analysis of the data will shed more light on the relationship between the epidemic, the economy and political turmoil in our country,

We cannot ignore the obvious patterns and trends.