Cortizo plans a new institutional scheme in the economic zone

The Plan of action joining the forces, the program with the main commitments of the candidacy of the president-elect, Laurentino Cortizo, includes the reform of the institutional mechanism of the economic zone.

The reform would be done through two bills: one created the new Institute for Development Planning attached to the Presidency of the Republic; and another for the new Ministry of Public Finance, which would replace the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Its goal is for new institutions to operate from January 2020.

On Sunday night, moments after receiving the election court's appeal with the announcement of his election victory, Cortizo said that Hector Alexander, former Minister of the Economy and Finance, is working on the gestation of the new Development Planning Institute and will be part of the transition team.

The government plan includes a series of actions in all sectors of the economy. Creating the right conditions could create between 240,000 and 275,000 new jobs over the next five years, says the program.

Bank of America Merril Lynch He badyzed the program and concluded that it did not contain populist measures in the manner of other governments in Latin America.

However, it notes a certain protectionist bias in the promises of import restrictions.

The report highlights some risks for measures likely to put pressure on social spending, such as the progressive goal of universal health coverage and the "study without hunger" program to provide free meals in public schools.

On the other hand, I would see as a risk the transfer of budgets to municipal governments, which can become a hotbed of corruption. This is part of the decentralization program.

(Read: The commitment of Cortizo)