Who is Francisco Sagasti, the new president of …

Engineer and researcher

Francisco Sagasti, born in Lima in 1944, studied industrial engineering at the National University of Engineering, holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and holds a doctorate in operations research and systems science social studies from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

He has been a professor at the Universidad del Pacífico and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), senior researcher emeritus at the International National Forum and adviser to international organizations, government agencies and private entities on strategic issues.

In addition, he chaired the board of directors of Peru’s science and technology program, served on the boards of various development organizations and foundations both outside and inside the country.

Prior to entering active politics under the banner of the Centrist Purple Party, an organization with liberal overtones and progressive ideas, Sagasti was head of strategic planning at the World Bank and chairman of the Advisory Board on Science and Technology in the Service of the development at the United Nations.

In addition, he has been a visiting professor at the Business Institute in Madrid, the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

Many years earlier, from 1972 to 1977, he was an official of the Ministry of Industry during the “revolutionary government” of the armed forces, chaired, in two stages, by Generals Juan Velasco and Francisco Morales Bermúdez, where he worked on the questions of innovation and industrialization. .

Subsequently, from 1985 to 1987, he was advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs Allan Wagner and, after his tenure in the Strategic Planning Division of the World Bank, he was senior advisor to the policy evaluation departments. and the external relations of this multilateral organization.

From 2007 to 2009, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Science and Technology program in the administrations of Prime Ministers Jorge del Castillo and Yehude Simon, during the second government of Alan García, and held the same position between December 2011 and March 2013 in the efforts of Óscar Valdés and Juan Jiménez, in the government of Ollanta Humala.

He has published over 25 books in Spanish and English, on technology and innovation, democracy and good governance, and hundreds of academic articles, in addition to being a member of the editorial board of several magazines. international, as well as contributor to national magazines and newspapers.

In 2006-2007, he produced the series of nine television programs “Abriendo Caminos”, on the economic, social and political changes of contemporary Peru.

Kidnapped from MRTA

Sagasti was also among hundreds of politicians and leaders who were kidnapped in December 1996 by a group of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) that entered the residence of the Japanese ambassador in Lima.

Although this kidnapping lasted four months, until the armed forces managed to rescue 71 of the 72 hostages, Sagasti was released after a few days, after which he returned to Costa Rica, where he was then residing with his family.

On leaving the residence he sparked controversy, as he carried a cardboard that bore the signatures of the MRTA kidnappers, for which he was criticized by conservative and far-right sectors, although he claimed he It was a “certificate of attendance” for this historic event, according to what he told the Costa Rican newspaper La Nación at the time.

Your position in the crisis

Since the political and social crisis unleashed in his country, Sagasti has severely criticized the actions of the parliamentary benches, since he voted against the dismissal of Martín Vizcarra, who led Merino to the head of state.

“The Purple Party fights against corruption, wherever it is, but by respecting due procedures and maintaining stability. A few months before the elections, a change of government will solve nothing and create more uncertainty,” he said. he said at the time.

After Congress rejected this Sunday a first list to chair the parliament led by leftist Rocío Silva, Sagasti said he was “perplexed” because, he said, he was seeking “a certain balance” in the face of the political crisis.

For this reason, the Purple Party decided to promote its own list, while Sagasti considered that after what had happened in his country in recent days, “the public would not be willing to accept a return” of Vizcarra to the government, a possibility which it is in the hands of the Constitutional Court.