Absenteeism in Citizen Participation: Challenges for Local Development Management

This study aims to analyze absenteeism in citizen participation in the district of Anco Huallo (Chincheros – Peru), identifying its causes and evaluating its impact on local development management. Using interviews with key actors such as mayors and former authorities, as well as the review of official documents. The results reveal that State-driven participation mechanisms and decentralization were not consolidated as effective management tools. Instead of promoting a participatory process, they generated distrust and disappointment among social actors, who perceived the Participatory Budget as a mere clientelistic exercise with no real impact. In addition, the creation of Population Centers managed by mayors excluded social organizations and local leaders, intensifying mistrust and reducing citizen participation. The research highlights the need for a more inclusive and locally tailored approach to improve the decentralization process.