Humala: 'Peru's economy is rock solid'

The newly elected Peruvian president said, during an interview for Venezuelan channel Telesur that the Peru’s economy is to “stay rock solid.” Humala is trying to soothe worries that his government politics will resemble Venezuela’s Chavez. Humala has gone above and beyond to guarantee that his mandate will follow Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula liberal line rather than a more hardcore leftist orientation.

“The country is doing fine; the economy is rock solid and also growing. International banks and investment firms recommend investing in Peru. If the bourse edges down buy stocks, they will eventually go up,” he said.

He also expressed his desire to diversify Peru’s sources of income that comes primarily from mining activities, “We will foment activities such as agriculture, agribusiness and tourism.”

During his first trip abroad as the newly elected Peru’s president to Brazil, Humala remarked that Brazil is a strategic partner. "Brazil is a successful model that combined economic growth and social mobility," Humala said following his meeting with the Brazilian President.

He also said that the countries should work together on the border control issues and drug trafficking. On his six-day trip through South America, Humala will travel also to Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile but not to Venezuela.

Humala is scheduled to meet on Friday with Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Lula. Lula was a hard-left labor union leader in the 1980s who evolved after losing three presidential elections and oversaw a booming economy during his 2003-2010 presidency.