Peru Gov't asks for special powers to legislate on coronavirus-related matters

13:27 | Lima, Mar. 26.

The Executive Branch has asked Congress to grant it special powers to legislate on various matters linked to the implementation of the state of national emergency declared amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Via Twitter, the Parliament reported on the letter sent by the Government, which bears the signatures of President Martin Vizcarra and Prime Minister Vicente Zeballos.

In the document, the Government asks Congress to consider the bill that would grant special powers to the Executive Branch to legislate in a bid to meet the demands of the health emergency.

"We will greatly appreciate that this procedure can be classified as urgent," the statement reads.

The letter is addressed to Congress Chairman Manuel Merino de Lama.

On Tuesday, President Martin Vizcarra reported that the Council of Ministers was evaluating the matters on which the Government was going to request special powers to legislate.

According to the Head of State, these matters are related to aspects that guarantee the progress of the actions taken within the framework of the state of national emergency.

The top official affirmed that this was one of the issues addressed by the Council of State held last Monday, taking into account that Congress —due to the state of emergency— cannot establish commissions or internal bodies, and it becomes necessary to have a solution to the regulations.

[LO ÚLTIMO] Congreso recibe el PL 4895/2020-PE que delega en el Poder Ejecutivo la facultad de legislar en diversas materias para la atención de la emergencia sanitaria producida por el #COVID?19 pic.twitter.com/uZPKSG5KjV
— Congreso del Perú (@congresoperu) March 26, 2020