Head of the Peruvian Congress refuses to consult on the new Constitution


The head of the Congress of Peru, the opposition María del Carmen Alva, rejected the president’s proposal on Monday peter castle of calling a popular referendum on a new Constitution, and accused him of wanting to turn the country into a new Cuba or Venezuela.

The leftist president announced on Friday that, “following the constitutional course”, he will send a project to the Congress so that citizens can be consulted in the local elections on October 2 if they want a new Magna Carta.

The National Elections Jury (JNE) pointed out that the call for a referendum on a constitutional change requires prior approval by Congress by absolute majority.

But Alva considered in statements to journalists that Castillo’s proposal is “unconstitutional” and “unfeasible”.

He added that the government could be the subject of “a complaint” before the courts if it proposes a constitutional referendum.

“We are trying to prevent this from becoming either Cuba or Venezuela,” he said, and accused Castillo of trying to “close” the Parliamentcontrolled by the right-wing opposition.

“The objective of this government is to close Congress. Without Congress there is no democracy,” he said.

Alva said that “any constitutional reform, total or partial, passes through Congress; according to the Constitution, there is no [la posibilidad de que el Ejecutivo convoque a una] Constituent Assembly”.

Hours later, the head of the ministerial cabinet, Aníbal Torres, announced that the government sent Congress a referendum bill on a constituent Assembly.

“What we are only proposing is a bill to Congress to convene a Constituent Assembly,” Torres said at a press conference.

The project contemplates a referendum with the question: “Do you approve the call for a Constituent Assembly to draft a new political constitution?”

If the yes wins, the government will convene a Constituent Assembly. Once the new charter is ready, another referendum must approve or reject the new constitution. Torres did not provide details of dates.

The proposal is related to an electoral promise of Castlewhich he had set aside since coming to power nine months ago.

The ruling party blames the current Constitution, promulgated in 1993 by the then president Alberto Fujimori, of being responsible for the economic inequities suffered by Peru, since it enshrines a free market model.

Castillo’s initiative comes at a time when protests are taking place over the rise in food and fuel prices, in the context of the war in Ukraine.

To this is added that his popularity is at its lowest level with a record disapproval of 76% in April, according to an Ipsos survey, although the rejection of Congress is higher, standing at 79%.

Castle He is a 52-year-old rural teacher who, as the candidate of a small Marxist-Leninist party, won the presidency in 2021 after a close runoff against the right-wing Keiko Fujimori, eldest daughter of the former president (1990-2000).

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