First change: 20.12.2022 – 19:20 Last change: 20.12.2022 – 19:16
Lima (AFP) – Peru’s Congress on Tuesday is debating the possibility of bringing forward general elections to ease the crisis sparked by the ousting of President Pedro Castillo with 21 deaths amid protests that have alarmed human rights organizations.
Last week, the project to bring forward elections did not get the votes it needed. After an agreement was reached this Tuesday, the topic should be discussed and voted on again. He needs the support of 87 of the 130 MPs.
Plans are to bring the elections forward from 2026 to 2023 and to hand over to Dina Boularte, Castillo’s successor, in April 2024 when the president-elect takes office.
The left-leaning benches, which support Castillo, want the call for a referendum for a constituent assembly to be included in the vote.
Boluarte, whose resignation is also being called for by the protesters, asserts that she is ready to leave within the new deadlines and urged lawmakers to speed up the debate. “Don’t be blind, look at the population and act,” he commented.
“That the early elections will be decided today and that the right and left will agree,” said independent congresswoman Susel Paredes to the press.
According to surveys, 83% of citizens are in favor of bringing the elections forward.
Farmers and community leaders, supporters of former President Pedro Castillo, block a road at the entrance of Abancay, Peru on December 19, 2022 © MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP
This Tuesday, a delegation from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), led by its secretary Tania Reneaum, arrived in Lima to meet with the authorities “to obtain information about the institutional crisis and the protests”.
The IACHR met with Boluarte at the Government Palace and plans to visit some cities in the country.
will reshuffle the cabinet
Boluarte, who has only been in office for thirteen days, will make reforms to his cabinet this Tuesday as announced, including changing the prime minister to favor the appointment of officials with more political experience to find solutions to the crisis.
The education and culture ministers resigned last week in disapproval of the deaths in the violent protests.
A police officer patrols a highway to prevent farmers and community leaders sympathetic to former President Pedro Castillo from blockading the entrance of Abancay, Peru, December 19, 2022 © MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP
The Transport Portfolio reported that this Tuesday operations resumed at Inca Manco Cápac Airport in Juliaca in the Puno region (south) after six days of closure due to protests.
Visits to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu have been suspended since December 14 to ensure the safety of tourists amid the protests. Other flight terminals that remained closed were also already in operation.
A few demonstrations were still active in the south of the country on Tuesday.
According to a recent report by the Ombudsman’s Office, the protests have left 21 dead and more than 600 injured since they began on December 7 due to clashes between protesters and security forces.
As part of the protests, eight protesters died in a clash with the military in Ayacucho last week after they tried to take over the air terminal in that region. The Ombudsman called for a criminal investigation into multiple deaths from gunshots to the body.
Castillo lost power that day after trying to shut down Congress, intervene in the judicial system, rule by decree, and convene a constituent assembly.
His request found no institutional support, so he was arrested for rebellion when he tried to reach the Mexican embassy to apply for asylum.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard confirmed that former President Castillo’s wife and children have taken refuge at the Mexican embassy in Lima.
“Now safe passage is being negotiated so that if they want to leave they can do so and come to Mexico, but they are on Mexican territory at our embassy,” Ebrard said at a news conference.
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte speaks during a conference at the Government Palace in Lima December 17, 2022 © Lucas AGUAYO / AFP
Lilia Paredes, Castillo’s wife, is being investigated by Peruvian prosecutors as a possible coordinator of an alleged criminal organization allegedly run by her husband.
© 2022 AFP