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SALT LAKE CITY — The Peruvian Consulate in Utah wants to hear from members of the local Peruvian community.
The consulate formally kicked off operations at its new location in downtown Salt Lake City in July and on Saturday it's holding elections to pick members of what it calls a Consultation Council. The body, which will be made up of members of the Peruvian community living in Utah, will serve to provide feedback and input to officials at the consular office, headed by Consul General Czibor Chicata-Sutmöller.
"The main objective of the council is promoting and defending the interests of our fellow nationals as well as facilitating effective communication and better coordination with the consulate to improve consular services," reads an informational document the consulate posted on its Facebook page. Moreover, the body is a means "to make our voices heard and to work together for the good of our community abroad."
The consulate said in a message to KSL.com that the five-member body will serve as a link between the consulate and the Peruvian community. Voting is to take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the consulate at 111 E. Broadway, suite 220, in Salt Lake City. "They aren't advisers, but they would suggest alternatives for improvements in varied areas to benefit the Peruvian community," the consulate said.
Candidates must be Peruvian and have a Peruvian identity card, among other requirements. At least 159 votes are needed for the formation of the Consultation Council and if enough voters show up, the newly elected body would serve for a year.
The new consular office in Salt Lake City formally opened to the public in late July, making Peru the third nation with a consulate in Utah after Mexico and El Salvador. The growing population of Peruvians living in Utah — 45,000 to 50,000, consul officials estimate — led to the decision to open the office. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the foreign-born Peruvian population — not including those born here to Peruvian parents — numbered 7,901 in the five-year 2018-2022 period.
