Vladimiro Huaroc, appointed by President Keiko Fujimori as Peru’s environment minister, is a former head of the National Office of Dialogue and Sustainability (ONDS). (Photo courtesy of government of Peru)
Vladimiro Huaroc, new Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori’s choice as environment minister, has only been in office for a month. But he says his priorities are clear: He wants economic development and environmental protection to go hand in hand. Environmental advocates are skeptical, questioning whether the latter will be given as much weight as the former during the presidency of Fujimori, a right-wing populist. For Huaroc, the appointment as environment minister reflects a political evolution. When Fujimori’s father, Alberto Fujimori, led Peru as president in the 1990s, Huaroc opposed his right-wing authoritarian rule. But in 2016 he surprised many by running as Keiko Fujimori’s second vice-presidential candidate. If he aims to reconcile economic-development and environmental-protection needs, Huaroc could draw on his experience promoting dialogue between Indigenous and business leaders. He served from 2012 to 2014 as high commissioner of Peru’s National Office of Dialogue and Sustainability... [Log in to read more]
