LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian President Dina Boruarte has said he heads an interim government and called on parliament to pass a proposal to bring forward general elections at a news conference at the presidential palace on Saturday. requested to
The former vice-president of Peru, Boruarte, took office earlier this month after then-leftist President Pedro Castillo was arrested for illegally trying to dissolve parliament.
Since then, protests have erupted across the country, killing at least 17 people. Five more people died as a result of the protests, officials said.
On Saturday, Bolarte hit back at protesters calling for his resignation, saying “that won’t solve the problem” and said he had done his part by sending the bill to parliament.
Peru’s parliament on Friday rejected a constitutional amendment to push elections forward to December 2023. Some members of Congress have asked Congress to reconsider the proposal.
“We call for a reconsideration of the votes to conduct the elections,” Bolarte said, criticizing members of parliament who had previously abstained from voting.
She also dismissed calls for the Constituent Assembly, saying it was “not the time”. I am asking Congress to do.
Bolarte said a cabinet reshuffle would also come soon after the education and culture ministers resigned on Friday.
[1/2] Peruvian President Dina Boruarte attends a meeting with mayors and governors at the Government Palace in Lima, Peru, December 17, 2022.Office of the President of Peru/Handout via Reuters
“We will reorganize the cabinet so that we have knowledgeable ministers in each department,” she said.
Friday’s cabinet resignation casts doubts on the survival of the Borarte government, which has been rocked by political turmoil.
Protests since the arrest of former President Castillo, who is in pretrial detention on charges of mutiny and conspiracy, have crippled Peru’s transport system, closed airports and blocked highways.
On Wednesday, the Boluarte government announced a state of emergency, giving police special powers and restricting citizens’ rights, including the right to assemble.
Protesters have also blocked Peru’s borders, stranded tourists and strangled trade.
“I want the parliament to shut down immediately. I want Dina Boluarte to resign,” Rene Mendoza, a protester on the border with Bolivia, told Reuters. “Today, the people of Peru are in mourning. …The whole of Peru is at war.”
The head of the Peruvian army, Manuel Gómez, condemned the protesters during a press conference.
Later on Saturday, police raided the headquarters of a left-wing political party and a peasant group in the capital Lima on suspicion of protecting such a “violent” actor, agents said.
Left-wing politicians rejected the raid. “The state of emergency is being used to violate human rights,” said MP Sigrid Bazan, who visited one of his sites.
Reporting by Marco Aquino and Kylie Madley. Additional report from Monica Machikao.Editing: Chiju Nomiyama, Diane Kraft, Jonathan Ortiz
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