(CNN Spanish) — The Congress of Peru approved with 93 votes in favor, 30 against, and 1 abstention, the proposed constitutional reform of advance elections for 2024.
The continuation of the protests after the dismissal of Pedro Castillo led the Peruvian Congress to reconsider the option of an electoral advance. The initiative had been rejected last week, despite the request of President Dina Boluarte.
This Sunday, Boluarte announced in an interview on the “Cuarto Poder” program, on Peruvian television, that this Monday or Tuesday, he would be reforming his cabinet for one “a little more political” because the demonstrations at the national level do not stop.
“To solve the needs that are pending to be solved as quickly as we can, because nobody can put a minister who is going to learn how the sector is inside, we are going to delay time. This is a transitional government, we need to act fast,” he said.
“The path is clear (…) There are thousands and millions of Peruvians who are mobilizing at the national level and demanding two things: early elections and a constituent assembly,” he said. Guido Bellido of the Peru Libre National Political Party, who was president of the Council of Ministers of Pedro Castillo.
After the approval of the measure, the congressmen spoke out. “In Lima and Callao, what they want is peace and freedom to be able to carry out their businesses, so that the entrepreneur can invest, so that big businessmen can do it too, president. So, let’s be more honest,” said Enrique Wong, from We can Peru.
The Peruvian Ministry of Health reported this Monday night that at least 26 people died due to the protests taking place in the country.
Civil unrest swept Peru earlier this month when former President Pedro Castillo was deposed and arrested (last week He was sentenced to 18 months in pretrial detention.), and his removal from power accelerated simmering political tensions in the country. Rail and air transport services were disrupted when protesters stormed airports.
The protests were often marked by clashes with Peruvian security forces. Some are protesting in support of Castillo, while others want a full reset of the country with new general elections and the dissolution of Congress.
Castillo has been detained since December 7 at the headquarters of the National Division of Special Operations (Dinoes), after Congress approved his vacancy hours after announcing that it would dissolve it.
The former president faces the crime of rebellion for breaking the constitutional order by ordering the closure of Congress on December 7, and also for “conspiracy, to the detriment of the State,” reported the Public Ministry of Peru.
With information from Claudia Rebaza
