Peru’s government has named a new head to the office that is in charge of handling social conflicts in the Andean nation.
The government appointed Friday Vladimiro Huaroc as the new head of the Office of Social Conflict Management, which reports to the prime minister’s office.
Huaroc is an anthropologist by training, who has worked on issues related to decentralization. He has been the president of regional government of Junin, and also worked in the Defensoria del Pueblo, the country’s ombudsman’s office.
Huaroc replaces Victor Caballero, who had struggled to prevent and resolve a number of violent protests in Peru, mainly aimed at natural resource sectors.
Huaroc’s appointment is part of plans by Peru’s new cabinet chief, Juan Jimenez, to reassess how the government handles social conflicts, which have led to about 15 deaths since President Ollanta Humala took office last year.
Jimenez has said that government will be more conciliatory, in a move away from the position of his predecessor, Oscar Valdes, a former military office that took a harder-line approach to resolving the disputes. Jimenez replaced Valdes on Monday.
Jimenez has also said the government will restructure the Office of Social Conflict Management, which will involve a new name, the Office of National Dialogue, after the restructuring is complete.
