ALTHOUGH convinced that “democratic dialogue” is the only way out for the country and that her responsibility as President is to lead it to an orderly transition to the early general elections of 2024, Dina Boluarte leaves the decision that they will be made in the hands of Congress. verify this year, as the most expeditious way to end the violent demonstrations.
The president, who does not contemplate resigning because of her “sense of high responsibility” and why doing so “would open the doors to anarchy”, as his prime minister, Andrés Otálora, maintained, reiterated that Congress has the autonomy to define a new electoral date and that there would be no problem with the Executive branch if it makes such a decision.
The Minister of Justice, José Tello, maintained that the government “refers to the constitutional framework… Congress has already decided in a first vote to advance elections to April 2024 and has the authority to mark them this 2023… For us there would be no problem because we also to the separation of powers and to the decisions that Congress may take”.
The official stressed that Boluarte, who became President after the capture of the leftist Pedro Castillo on December 7, has complied with his management and valued as a “brave decision” to remain at the forefront of power because, otherwise, greater instability would be generated.
“Dina Boluarte is guaranteeing that there is an Executive that will lead, together with the Legislature and the other State and electoral bodies, an orderly transition towards the year 2024“said the head of Justice.
Confident that the Prosecutor’s Office can clarify the 43 deaths that occurred during the protests that degenerated into clashes with the public forces, which are being investigated for alleged “abuse in the use of force,” the minister recalled that the declaration of the state of The emergency in Callao, Cusco, Lima and Puno is a measure to protect the population in situations of violence, events that unofficially claim are ‘financed’ by drug trafficking and illegal mining.
With only 41 days in Casa Pizarro (government headquarters), Boluarte has faced 31 days of uninterrupted blockades and protests that, born in the so-called “deep Peru”, bastions of the ousted Castillo, arrived in the capital this Monday, led by communities indigenous peoples as well as by associations of rural teachers.
Prime Minister Otálora insisted on the presidential guideline that “the way out is for Peruvians to understand each other, sit down to talk and have a democratic dialogue based on various platforms…History will judge us, later it will see if we have done well or bad. In the meantime, our conscience is absolutely clear.”
He added that a step aside from Boluarte would be to give in to the aspirations of the “small organized group of violent, enemies of the State” that has taken over the protests which, as we have outlined, led to an indefinite national strike that began at sunset this Monday.
With regard to them, the Peruvian Ministry of Defense was investigating the possible entry of weapons and ammunition through the south of the country for later use during the demonstrations. “We are corroborating that information, if there are indications and information that leads to that, what is responsible is to corroborate that information and then take the corresponding actions”maintained the Ministry of Justice.
The official said that these inquiries originated both from the statements of a doctor who pointed out the existence of evidence that the deceased had wounds with the characteristics of expansive and fragmentary bullets, and from information that in the same sense was sent by the Bolivian deputy Erwin Bazan and the Chilean deputy Chiara Barchiesi.
Ungovernable?
Since the leftist Pedro Castillo ended up behind bars for his frustrated attempt to shut down Congress and govern by decree, the Legislature complied with the constitutional succession, swearing in the then second vice president (the lawyer Boluarte) and recently, with a dozen In addition to the required votes, he gave the vote of confidence to his cabinet.
And although from that day the expected protests of the ‘castillistas’ began, it was believed that with the passing of the days they would end, especially when he gave in after a few days, after consulting Parliament, to bring forward the general elections. Of its own it was aspired that the country, peacefully, initiate that transition and give support to the mission that was entrusted to the first woman to direct the House of Pizarro.
But for reasons that range from the alleged political interference of the former Bolivian president, Evo Morales, to the possible financing of drug trafficking groups and illegal mining, the demonstrations not only grew, but also degenerated into violence, which led to the loss of citizen support. in all the country.
This is revealed by the most recent survey of the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP) according to which 71 percent of the Peruvian population rejects the management of President Boluarte compared to 26 percent who believe they acted appropriately.
The study also holds a poor mark for Congress, which has 88 percent disapproval and 9 percent approval, eight points higher than a month ago.
Regarding the protests, 60 percent of Peruvians consider the December protests justified -72 percent among young people- while 35 percent consider that they are not justified. 50 percent feel identified with the protests and 46 percent, no.
44 percent believe that the most important actors in the mobilizations are spontaneous or organized groups of citizens and 27 percent attribute it to violent groups or groups linked to terrorist groups.
66 percent disapprove that Castillo has attempted to carry out a coup, while 30 percent do.
The study is based on interviews conducted between January 7 and 12 and has a margin of error of 2.8 points above and below each result.
A second study published this Sunday and prepared exclusively for ‘Perú21’ by IPSOS Peru suggests that 52 percent of Peruvians believe that the elections should be brought forward to December of this year, even if it means that few political reforms are approved.
The IPSOS poll confirms the disapproval of 71 percent for Boluarte. They also reject the management of the Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, (61 percent) and the President of Congress, José Williams (62 percent).
As for political reforms, 57 percent defend that the election of the president and Congress be every four years compared to the current five years, a continuation option supported by 40 percent of Peruvians.
Another march of the 4 of yours?
“We came so that they hear our voice.” Under this slogan, dozens of indigenous people arrived in Lima to join the “taking of the capital”, which began to take place on Sunday with the participation of peasants from various regions of the south of the country.
“We entered through the four cones of Lima (north, south, east, west.) We mobilized peacefully and avoided incidents,” said Jimmy Mamani, president of the Association of Population Centers of the El Collao province, an Aymara area in the region of Puno, on the border with Bolivia
“We were looking for a march of the four of them,” he explained, referring to the massive three-day march that, coming from the four corners of Peru, in July 2000, led to the fall of the autocratic regime of Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) in November of that year.
insisted that “It is not fair that the Executive cannot listen to our requests, they turn a deaf ear. The truth is that one is already upset and at this point, talking with them is something that cannot be done.”
The indigenous ordering platform is the same as that of the peasants and citizens of the Deep South: Boluarte’s resignation, immediate elections and convocation of a Constituent Assembly.
At the same time, the roadblocks that have set the pattern since the start of the protests at the beginning of December were maintained. Yesterday, 99 sections of highways in ten of the 25 regions of the Andean country remained without a pass.
As can be seen, the tension in Peru is high and although the only immediate way out is to anticipate the general elections even more, the resignation of Boluarte is not because it must be guaranteed, as she points out, the peaceful and orderly transition towards the new appointment of the ballot boxes./International writing with agencies