José Arista is the new Minister of Economy and Finance and replaces Álex Contreras in the midst of an economic recession facing the country and the low popularity of President Dina Boluarte.
Arista was Minister of Economy and Finance for five days in the brief government of Manuel Merino (2020), as well as head of Agrarian Development and Irrigation in 2018. He was also Vice Minister of Finance between 2006 and 2010, and served as regional governor of Amazonas in the period 2011-2014.
Arista was one of the two economists who spoke with President Dina Boluarte on January 3 at the Government Palace. The other participant in the meeting was the former Minister of Economy Luis Carranza.
According to journalistic versions, that meeting caused the then head of the MEF to present his letter of resignation. However, Contreras ruled out that possibility after speaking with the president.
According to the recent Datum survey, Contreras registers a disapproval of 63% and an approval of only 15%, while 22% do not know.
In the case of President Dina Boluarte, her approval remains at 10%; while that of her Prime Minister Alberto Otárola is now at just 8%, the lowest throughout the last year of government.
Disapproval of Boluarte stands at 83%; and that of Otárola by 75% on a national scale. The south continues to be the region where both concentrate the most rejection, now with 89% and 86%, respectively.