A Conversation with Felipe Larraín Bascuñán

The second government of President Sebastián Piñera in Chile has brought the return of Felipe Larraín Bascuñán as Minister of Finance, once again with an ambitious agenda for one of Latin America’s most successful economies. Chile’s growth has recently started to accelerate after a slump in 2016 and 2017, but significant challenges remain. Larraín has thus far announced plans to cut some $500 million in spending over four years in a bid to reduce the country’s fiscal deficit, while additional measures are expected in the near term. He also seeks to balance economic growth with sustaining progress in reducing poverty and inequality in Chile.

On April 20, The Dialogue and the Brookings Global-CERES Economic and Social Policy in Latin America Initiative will host a public conversation with Felipe Larraín on the global and regional economy, and the challenges and choices facing Chile. In office since March 11th, Larraín is a Harvard-educated economist, who has taught at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and served as a consultant to the World Bank, IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, and United Nations.