President Alan García ratified a law on Wednesday that will create Peru’s first Ministry of Culture, local media reported.
“Ths ministry is an extraordinary work, promoted by committed people. No people can live without culture, so rich as in Peru,” daily El Comercio reported García as saying. He added that it will be an important contribution for national development.
The ministry would be responsible for creating and evaluating national policies on culture. It would have two deputy ministers to promote cultural heritage and cultural industry on the one hand and the letters and arts on the other.
Former lawmaker Elvira de la Puente, a member of García’s ruling Aprista party that promoted the creation of the ministry, denied that the president asked her to become the new minister, RPP radio station reported.
She called on the new minister to be some with an academic profile who is well known and respected nationally. In addition, they should have support from different political parties and cultures in Peru, de la Puente said.
