ICT policies in Latin America: Long-term inequalities and the role of globalized policy-making

ICT policies have been presented as one of the keys for inclusion in the global economy. For instance, in countries like Peru, the need for increased connectivity appears crucial, as integration to the global economy through free trade agreements with developed economies becomes an essential part of economic policy. However, it can be argued that the actual impact of such policies is marginal, and that the actual policy-making process is not helping, as much as competition, at the local telecommunications markets. At the same time, other elements composing an ICT strategy, including cultural and social aspects, are weakly presented. After discussing the facts, an exploration of the limitations of state policy is drawn from the combined conceptual frameworks of Rodrik’s notion of the Trilemma of Global Economy and Held’s Vicious Gridlock. Also, the analysis of policy-making in Latin America and Peru by local scholars is explored to propose that digital inequalities are only addressable by market forces under the current policy arrangement available to governments like Peru’s. Finally, the article argues that it is needed to both abandon “information society” as a policy trend and instead, confront the decreasing political capacities of emerging states to thus, influence the outcomes of telecommunications/media development investments in their regions and countries