Tense negotiations in Peru to allow an electoral advance in Congress

Peru is experiencing a tense truce. While the level of social conflict seemed to decrease in almost all the territorythe government has entered into negotiations with various sectors to ensure that Congress finally approves tomorrow, Tuesday, an advance of the elections for the end of 2023, as proposed by President Dina Boluarte, and which was already rejected last week by lawmakers.

The head of state’s claim is crucial because the stability of his government, which lacks its own parliamentary support, partly depends on it.

Economy Minister Alex Contreras assured that the country is on the “straight path” to mitigate the crisis unleashed after the ousting of President Pedro Castillo, and justified his confidence that several ministers had gone to conflict zones “to promote dialogue and reach consensus” which would have enabled the parliamentary process to be successfully tackled Tuesday.

Boluarte, who took office eleven days ago after the dismissal and arrest of Castillo for attempted self-coup, on Saturday he called on Congress to vote on advancing the election to 2023. It was after Parliament rejected the initiative on Friday, although the possibility of voting again in tomorrow morning’s session was left open.

Order

For approval, the President’s proposal required 87 votes in two sittings or 66 votes which then had to be ratified by referendum, but neither of the two alternatives came about. He had just 49 votes in favour, 33 against and 25 abstentions.

“Don’t look for excuses not to bring the election forward. Don’t abstain from voting, vote directly in the interests of the country, don’t hide behind an abstention, it’s either black or white, half measures don’t solve the country’s problems,” the president then reacted in a tough speech addressed to deputies.

From that moment, official sources and those of the parties in Congress said, a tense round of negotiations began to get the electoral advance that was accentuating this Sunday back on track.

what’s coming

When the president’s proposal was discussed on Friday, the left and right blocs were steadfast in their refusal. A key issue is that, if there is an election, they should resign after two years in office with the risk of being left out in the next legislature. The most intransigent even asked for the convening of a National Constituent Assembly change the Constitution, which is impossible in this context.

On Friday evening, after the setback for Boluarte, José Williams, president of the Congress, ensured that the vote did not fall. Subsequently, Prime Minister Pedro Angulo, in a television interview in which he urged Congress to discuss the issue again, said: “We all have to deposit the interest, we all have to think about Peru”.

As negotiations continue, the government tries to show that Peru is back to normal. After seven days of violent clashes between the defenders of Castillo and the Police, who, after a ferocious repression, left until yesterday 25 dead and 569 wounded, According to official data, there were no major crossings this weekend.

Some airports, a major source of attack for protesters, were back in operation. full of soldiers, the government reopened Cusco airport on Friday and was hoping to open Juliaca airport, 1,300 kilometers southeast of Lima. This Tuesday would be the turn of Ayacucho, one of the epicenters of the rebellion of Castillo’s supporters where eight people died in the clashes in the seizure of the airport.

To this respite is added that Castillo stopped publishing letters. After receiving 18 months in preventive prison on Thursday, the former president was transferred to Barbadillo prison, the same one where former president Alberto Fujimori is being held.

Limes. Special delivery

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