Interview with Deputy Foreign Minister Ignacio Higueras Hare of Peru

At the end of October, Peruvian Deputy Foreign Minister Ignacio Higueras Hare visited Hungary to participate in bilateral meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a lecture at the Diplomatic Academy. He was also offered a reception at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The Deputy Minister also took time to meet the editor-in-chief of Daily News Hungary for a short interview.

Deputy Minister Higueras said that the reason for his working trip to Budapest was to hold discussions with Hungarian partners in the framework of the second mechanism of political consultations between the two countries. The Vice-minister informed that he had two meetings with Hungarian hosts.

With State Secretaries Levente Magyar and Tamás Menczer, bilateral, regional and global issues were discussed. The Peruvian Deputy Minister underlined the excellent relationship between the two countries, and the relevance of both having resident embassies in Lima and Budapest, which is a very strong foundation for the relationship.

Another positive steps forward in Peruvian-Hungarian relations were the meeting of the Presidents of the two countries during the UN General Assembly, while Hungary’s Foreign Minister visited Lima in September 2022 during his trip to South America.

Photo: DNH

Peru, a new OECD member

During the meetings in Budapest the most recent bilateral agreements on water management, sports and cooperation between diplomatic academies were reviewed. Progress was also made in the discussions to increase exports and imports between Peru and Hungary. The Peruvian deputy minister said that it is important to maintain the bilateral exchange at high level without prejudice of the great relevance of the work of the embassy in promoting trade and investment, as well as culture and tourism in complement to the political relationship. He added that they are counting on the good results achieved here to make Hungarians more aware of Peruvian values.

Higueras said that Peru has a very strong relation with the EU, in cooperation, economic and political matters. He added that the EU is a large and valuable market for Peru, and that is why the South American country is seeking to further strengthening economic relations with European partners, including the expansion of trade with Hungary. He said that the visa waiver for Peruvian citizens within the Schengen area was a huge step forward. With the Hungarian side, European Union issues, the Hungarian presidency of the EU, the Global Gateway initiative, and the fight against drugs, among other topics were also discussed

The Hungarian side showed great interest in the developments in Latin America and in their integration processes such as the Pacific Alliance, where Hungary is an observer state.

Peru’s accession to the OECD was also discussed. The South American country is in the process of fully complying with the requirements of the OECD, but there is still a long road ahead, where members will have the final say. Peru will remain open to discuss with Hungary about any concerns its government may have about Peru´s progress, as this is one of the main goals the country wishes to achieve in a near future.

Photo: DNH

Peru, one of the most diverse countries in the world

The two sides also discussed the two current conflicts that are seriously affecting the world economy. The Peruvian deputy minister said that his government has condemned Russia´s aggression against Ukraine and hopes that within the framework of the UN, peace will eventually be achieved in the Hungarian neighbouring country. He sees the Hungarian economy as facing some challenges stemming from the recent war, but Peru is affected too, as the price of fertiliser risen as a result of the war, and high inflation is affecting everyone.

The situation in the Middle East was also discussed, Higueras said that Peru condemns the violent attacks of Hamas on 7 October and reaffirmed that his country is against any act of violence and terror in all its forms. He added that Peru condemns violence no matter where it comes from and highlighted the importance for all sides to adhere to international law, including international humanitarian law. In this sense Higueras stressed that Peru calls for all parties to guarantee the protection of civilians and of humanitarian personnel. Peru´s aim is that a peaceful and lasting solution be reached without delay. Higueras said that the peace signed exactly 25 years ago between Peru and Ecuador could be a positive example of neighbouring countries’ ability to overcome problems and focus on cooperation and peace in the future.

In the last part of the interview with the deputy minister, we talked about the opportunities for tourism in Peru, because who doesn’t want to see Machu Picchu or Cusco or the Amazon jungle in person? They are trying to attract as many tourists as possible from Europe, including Hungary, and what they feel is their main task is to show and connect the world-famous Peruvian tourist attractions with other less well-known landmarks that are also exceptional. Regarding Machu Picchu he underlined that the most adventurous and nature loving tourists can access the site through the inca trail in a wonderful trekking experience which take from 1 to several days. For those who prefer a more comfortable way there is also the railway. According to Higueras, Peru is also a gastronomic destination with worldwide reputation The deputy minister calls on everyone to spend two or three weeks in Peru, one of the most diverse countries in the world.