The president of the Peruvian Congress, José Williams, has postponed until this Tuesday the vote to decide on the possible advancement of the presidential elections to 2023 instead of 2024, as it had been initially voted last December 20.
The decision of the president of the Andean Parliament has taken place after almost six hours of debate between the Constitution Commission and the different parliamentary benches in which no agreement has been reached, reported ‘La República’.
For this reason, the vote will take place on Tuesday, January 31, the deadline to determine if the Peruvian Congress will vote in favor of bringing forward the elections to 2023, as proposed by the Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte, and as demanded by the participants in the protests taking place throughout the country.
The suspension of the session has taken place after Williams was forced to postpone the vote to this Monday, January 30, since the Congress voted against the proposal of the president of the Constitution Commission and congressman of the pro-Fujimori Fuerza Popular, Hernando Guerra García.
Then, the left-wing bench rejected the measure alleging the need for a new electoral process to include a Constituent Assembly, considering that the proposal made by Fuerza Popular was «fraudulent».
Meanwhile, hours before, the Peruvian Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, has indicated that the Executive is waiting for what the Parliament decides regarding the advancement of general elections for 2023, urging the congressmen to vote with a «sense of urgency» due to the situation of the country.
«I repeat that we are waiting for this decision in the understanding that all the democratic benches are going to debate and I am sure that they have a high sense of urgency about the country’s situation,» he said in a statement from outside the Government Palace that has been picked up by RPP radio station.
However, the President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, announced on Sunday two constitutional reform projects to carry out general elections this year in case the Congress does not finally approve an early election.
One of these proposals would lead to hold the elections on the second Sunday of October, the 15th, while the second round would be held in December.
Secondly, she indicated that the second bill is a reform of the 1993 Constitution by the next elected Parliament, which after its approval in Congress will have to be submitted to a referendum for the citizens to decide whether the reform will be approved.
«The proposal of the Executive with this legislative initiative seeks a broad participation of the citizenship, especially of those most excluded sectors of society», he expressed after sustaining that «this bill fits perfectly with the expectation that a sector of the Congress has».
Likewise, the Peruvian president criticized the Parliament for not having succeeded so far in approving the electoral advance, despite the fact that the massive demonstrations that are taking place are calling for it.
«The Congress of the Republic was debating on the advancement of elections to 2023. And as we already know at this hour, (it has been) a sterile debate (in which) nothing concrete has been reached except the reconsideration that tomorrow it will be debated and that, we hope, deserves a second reflection, given the seriousness of the situation,» Boluarte lamented.
Peru is in the midst of a deep political crisis following the dismissal by Congress of former President Pedro Castillo, who announced on December 7 the dissolution of the Andean Parliament and the establishment of an emergency government.
Following the arrest of the former president, tens of thousands of people came out to protest in various parts of the country to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of Congress and the urgent calling of presidential elections. Since then, more than 60 people have lost their lives in riots between demonstrators and security forces.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)