The Board of Directors of Congress evaluates the request to reconsider the vote with which the advancement of elections to 2024 was approvedto make a new text that proposes that the elections be held this 2023.
(Also: Why are the marches in Peru putting maximum pressure on Dina Boluarte?)
The request for reconsideration was raised by the president of the Constitution Commission, Hernando Guerra García (Popular Force) this Thursday in plenary session.
(Also: Peru: Boluarte calls for a ‘national truce’ after more than a month of protests)
The initiative took the president of Congress, José Williams, by surprise, who chose to suspend the session until this Friday the 27th.
Congressional sources reported that the members of the Board of Directors, headed by Williams, they met tonight; but so far, none of the members have given confirmation on whether or not an agreement was reached.
Other sources pointed out that in situations like this, the board asks for the opinions of the Higher Office of the Congress and the General Parliamentary Directorate before making a pronouncement.
(Keep reading: Boluarte reiterated his support for the National Police for its performance in protests)
The lawyer Alejandro Rospigliosi, specialist in parliamentary law, noted that reconsideration is viable, despite the fact that the vote to advance the general elections in 2024 was held on December 20; that is, more than a month ago.
We are facing an exceptional situation
That time, Congress approved, in the first vote, that the elections be advanced to April of next year. The initiative received 93 adhesions, but it was pending that it be approved in the second vote in the next legislature.
For Rospigliosi, the points in favor of considering the reconsideration viable are that the present legislature has not yet ended, that the proposal has not been submitted to a second vote and that the minutes of the plenary session in which it was discussed would not have been closed.
The specialist in parliamentary law pointed out that the reconsideration is not appropriate if the minutes of the plenary session have already been closed, because “otherwise, there would be ad infinitum reconsiderations.” However, he added that “we are facing an exceptional situation” and Interpretations could be given to the Regulations of the Congress.
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Position of the Peruvian Executive on new elections
The president of the Council of Ministers, Alberto Otárola, has spoken out against the advancement of the general elections no longer in April 2024, but this 2023, noting that this would not guarantee a transparent electoral process.
“I know there is an advance request for the advance (of the elections). This is as confusing as wanting to assume that these violent sectors that are violating the fundamental rights of Peruvians are going to set the conditions for them to be addressed by the democratic system, ”he said on Channel N.
(Also read: Peru withdraws its ambassador in Honduras for ignoring the Boluarte government)
We have to guarantee free, transparent elections that can ensure the popular will
“We have to guarantee free, transparent elections that can ensure the popular will. It would be very unfortunate if, to the problems we have at the moment, we add an electoral process that has not been duly guaranteed with the requirements of the electoral law itself, ”he added.
Otárola responded like this when he was asked about the requests of various benches, as well as sectors such as the National Assembly of Regional Governments for the elections to be in 2023 and not in April 2024, as approved on first ballot the plenary session of Congress. He added that it is up to the Legislature to debate all existing bills.
Protests continue in Lima
The Government of Peru announced this Thursday that the security forces will clear roads that have been blocked by protesters across the country, while anti-government protests included a new march that led to clashes in the historic center of Lima.
(Also: Peru: the protests do not give truce to a crisis that already leaves 55 dead)
Thousands of protesters from various regions of the country walked the streets of the capitalafter many of them arrived on the North Pan-American highway, to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the closure of Congress, early elections and a constituent assembly.
The march began peacefully, but then recorded clashes in different streets and squares, where the Police fired tear gas at protesters, who threw stones and other blunt objects.
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The Government warned, on the other hand, that the National Police and the Armed Forces will begin to unblock the roads taken by protesters in different regions in the next few hours.
“We call on those who persist in these illegal measures to desist from it, allow the peaceful unblocking of the roads and avoid confrontations with the forces of order that will act in defense of legality,” an official statement remarked.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
With information from El Comercio (Peru) / GDA and EFE
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