Pérez Yoma on financial crisis: "We are not going to get pneumonia, but we will definitely get a cold"

SANTIAGO.- After indicating in July of this year that people would have to "clench their teeth" amidst the country's weak economic figures, the Minister of Interior, Edmundo Pérez Yoma stated today that with the international crisis, "we are not going to get pneumonia, but we will definitely get a cold".

Despite acknowledging the effects that the international market collapses would have on Chile, Pérez Yoma seemed confident that the situation would be dealt with in the best way possible, stating that the country is "extraordinarily well protected and equipped".

When questioned about statements made by José De Gregorio, the president of the Central Bank, indicating that the worst of the crisis is still on its way. The minister criticized the analysts who are making ominous predictions.

"The whole world is making predictions and sees several of disasters to come (…) I would wait for that to happen. Really, the global situation is very complicated, there are very serious things going on in the rest of the world, but for now we have not yet felt the repercussions and I don't think it is a good idea for all of us to go around making catastrophic forecasts about what is going to happen", he declared.