Leftist leaders have mixed record in Bolivia and Peru

Significance

President Pedro Castillo's administration in Peru shows a distrust of established institutions while Bolivia has had more success in making the existing bureaucracy work for change. State interventionism has always characterised the leftist agenda, but the ability to carry out far-reaching changes depends crucially on the quality of public institutions.

Impacts

• Leftist governments can rapidly lose support if they do not demonstrate administrative competence.
• Bolivia under President Luis Arce faces the danger of the administration becoming further estranged from civil society.
• Peru under Castillo faces the threat of administrative breakdown in key sectors.