Peru: still the political deadlock, the president persists in wanting to advance the elections

In Peru, protests, with road blockages and demonstrations, continue in several regions of the country (illustration image).

AP - Guadalupe Pardo

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The political deadlock continues in Peru.

After having suffered three consecutive failures, President Dina Boluarte will again ask Parliament to bring the elections forward, in the hope of calming the protest that has been raging for seven weeks.

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This Wednesday, February 1, after five hours of debate in Parliament, 68 deputies spoke out against the organization of early elections in December 2023, 54 voted in favor and two voted blank.

Left-leaning MPs greeted the rejection with applause and shouts of victory.

The project had been presented by the right-wing Fuerza Popular party, but it had the support of left-wing president Dina Boluarte.

He recommended bringing forward the ballot scheduled for April 2024 to the end of the year, thus hoping to calm the protest which has left 48 dead in seven weeks.

New project

This is the third time since December 2022 that Parliament has refused to advance the election to 2023. After Wednesday's new rejection, the presidency announced that it would “

” present a new project to bring the ballot forward.

The demonstrators demand the resignation of Dina Boluarte, but also the dissolution of Parliament, largely discredited in public opinion, general elections and a Constituent Assembly.

The unrest erupted after the dismissal and arrest on December 7 of the left-wing president, Pedro Castillo, accused of having fomented a coup d'etat by wanting to dissolve the Parliament which was preparing to oust him from power.

Vice-President Dina Boluarte, whom the protesters consider a "

 ", then replaced him.

" 

Historical Responsibility

 "

On Sunday, Ms. Boluarte had tried to put pressure on Parliament, speaking of " 

 ".

Parliament is divided into more than ten political forces, not counting the independents.

No party has an absolute majority and each vote must be subject to negotiations and alliances.

The left, which voted against the early elections, wants to associate any new ballot with a referendum on a new Constitution.

This question is one of the main points of contention within Parliament.

Protests, with road blockages and demonstrations, continue in several parts of the country.

(

AFP)

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