Much has been made by the bourgeoisie about the "economic
miracles" taking place in Latin America. The Fujimori government
in Peru has been touted as an example of a leader taking the
'tough but necessary' economic choices.
However, the anti-social offensive which has been unleashed
against the Peruvian people by the Fujimori government, with the
full support of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank,
etc., has been devastating.
Official estimates put the number of Peruvians living in
extreme poverty at almost 50 percent. In the Andes highlands,
nearly 70 percent of the population are living in poverty, with
45.5 percent not getting enough to eat. There is no electricity
or running water. Figures are similar for the vast Amazon jungle.
Those who move to Lima generally end up in the barrios
that surround the city. While unemployment officially is less
than 10 per cent, the government estimates that less than half
the work force is fully employed. Although President Fujimori
claims to have done much in his few years in office to improve
the standard of living for Peruvians, the main beneficiaries have
been the richest 15 percent of the population, while the gap
between the rich and the poor has widened.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
