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Peru Economic Associations
The major economic associations in Peru were the
National
Industries Association (Sociedad Nacional de
Industrias--SNI),
the National Confederation of Private Business
(Confederación
Nacional de Instituciones Empresariales
Privadas--Confiep), and
the Apemipe (Peruvian Association of Small and
Medium-Sized
Businesses). Traditionally, such organizations had played
a
minimal role in politics. In the 1980s, however, they
became
actively involved in the nation's politics.
García's national understanding (concertación)
strategy called for cooperation between government and
business
in economic policy-making. Nevertheless, García bypassed
organized business sectors, the foremost among them being
Confiep, and dealt instead directly with the twelve most
powerful
businesspeople in the country, the so-called twelve
apostles.
Thus, when García threatened the entire private sector
with his
surprise nationalization of the nation's banks, Confiep
became
one of the most active supporters of the bankers
protesting
García's move, and subsequently of Vargas Llosa's Liberty
movement. Meanwhile, two former presidents of Confiep--now
senators Francisco Pardo Mesones of Somos Libres (We Are
Free)
and Ricardo Vega Llona of Fredemo--launched independent
candidacies in the 1990 elections.
Ironically, Apemipe became politically active in
opposition
to Vargas Llosa and his proposed policies, which
threatened the
viability of many small-businesspeople. The former
president of
Apemipe, Máximo San Román, ran as first vice president for
Cambio, and became president of the Senate.
Organized business, per se, has never been particularly
influential in Peru. Instead, strong influence has been
wielded
by foreign companies, such as the International Petroleum
Corporation (IPC), or by families, such as the Romeros and
the
Wieses, who had substantial holdings across a variety of
industries. Yet with the economic situation in May 1991
and the
substantial reduction of foreign investment, the domestic
private
sector had increased in its relative economic importance.
Thus,
the sector's tendency to use its organizations to
influence
political trends was likely to continue for the
foreseeable
future.
Data as of September 1992
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