Peru Political Crisis: Big political crisis in Peru, Bill to hold premature elections rejected

Lima. Peru’s Congress has rejected a bill to hold general elections by December 2023 amid ongoing protests across the country. Elections in Peru are due in 2026. Meanwhile, Hernando Guerra, chairman of the Legislative Constitutional Commission, introduced the bill and explained that the bill would give “enough time” to carry out electoral reforms.

However, this assurance failed to garner a broad consensus in the Congress. The motion failed to receive the 87 votes needed to pass, and the bill received 49 votes in favor, 33 abstentions, and 25 abstentions. The bill was introduced amid nationwide political unrest following the ouster of former President Pedro Castillo on December 7 and the subsequent arrest and swearing in of Vice President Dina Boluarte to replace him.

More than a dozen protesters have been killed since Sunday in protests demanding Bolluarte’s resignation, the shutdown of Congress, Castillo’s release and early elections, according to official reports. Protesters have set police stations on fire, blocked Peru’s main national highway and blocked access to airports, stranding foreign tourists.