President Ollanta Humala vowed Saturday morning to reach the country’s poorest citizens and highlighted Peru’s growth, during the traditional presidential address to the nation during Peru’s independence day.

Humala greeted well-wishers that lined the streets of downtown Lima, as he walked towards Congress at the Plaza Bolivar, where he gave a speech detailing his government’s work over the past year, and presented future projects.

The president spoke on a wide range of subjects, including tacking poverty, the country’s increase in private investments, the need to end drug trafficking and terrorism, and touched upon Peru’s social conflicts.

“Today after a year of my administration, I can confirm that we have put in place foundations for the great transformation that our citizens want for out country,” Humala said.

“We haven’t achieved all we’ve wanted to achieve, every start is difficult,” he added.

Humala first spoke of the country’s need for increased social inclusion, and the chance to “create equal opportunities for everyone.”

He highlighted his government’s policies for tacking poverty and social inclusion, the creation of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, and underscored his commitment toward reducing poverty by 15 percent by the end of his administration.

The government, he said, was also aiming to provide energy for the most “vulnerable” citizens, particularly the most “vulnerable”, and said he would present a project to prioritize natural gas projects in Junín, Huancavelica, Ayacucho, and Puno,

“Cheap natural gas for the country’s poorest,” he vowed, and added that 500,000 homes would benefit from the installation of solar panels by the end of his term.

“We want to break the generational perpetuity of poverty.”

The president also declared his government would tackle health issues around the country, and announced the creation of the Seguro Oncologico Gratuito, which would provide free treatment to the country’s cancer patients, and announced the launch of a bone marrow transplant program, which would be available trough the country’s National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases.

"We have taken steps to implement the first national bank of umbilical cords and the first Latin American bank to register bone marrow donors."

Humala also outlined the country’s economic growth, and said private investment had grown by about 12 percent since he took office, in July 2011.

“Our country grew by over 6 percent over the last 12 months, and is still one of the most dynamic nations in the world.”

Inflation rates, he said, have decreased and were close to zero in May and June.

With regards to government investments, Humala said the state had pledged over 6 billion soles in road and communication infrastructure.

The president also presented congress with a plan that would authorize the regional government of Cusco to purchase land needed for the construction of the new Cusco International Airport.

Humala also vowed to tackle the country’s security issues and said the government vowed to “completely defeat drug trafficking and terrorism,” and emphasized the 136 terrorist operatives that were captured during his term.

Humala added that he would ask congress to give him the ability to legislate on issues regarding organized crime, public safety and national defense.

The president also announced new pay raises for the country’s police and armed forces.

Towards the end of his 2-hour speech, Humala acknowledged the social conflicts that have occurred throughout the country, like the anti-mining protests in Cajamarca, and vowed to safeguard the country’s water supplies.

“The government is aware of the persistence of social unrest […] water in particular is the highest priority for my administration."

Humala said his government would “not allow the development of any extractive project that expose the population to shortages of water.”

The president also touched upon Peru’s foreign policy with other Latin American countries, and said the country would abide by the International Court of Justice’s ruling on the maritime dispute with Chile.

"We are a government of integration and we are convinced that today, Latin America and especially South America have a historic responsibility that we can not waste.”

During his closing remarks, Humala said his government would aim to develop sustainable policies, and said his administration would resolve all civil conflicts.

"This July 28 I reiterate my desire for an inclusive homeland, that opens the way for social progress.”

“Together and happy for this union, long live Peru,” Humala said, at the end of his presidential address.

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