Peru: Govt reaffirms commitment to respecting general electoral schedule

In a communique, the Executive Branch affirmed that the electoral bodies in Peru have assured their independent work and will be provided with all the resources needed to fulfill their mission.

"In this context of political crisis, in addition to the delicate health and economic situation that the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped, the first commitment of the President of the Republic Manuel Merino de Lama has been reaffirmed, which is to respect the general elections process underway, and which is legally convened to take place on Sunday, April 11, 2021," the document read.

Likewise, the communique reiterated that the Government has saluted the decision of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) to send an Electoral Observation Mission to Peru for this process, in response to the invitation request that the National Election Board (JNE) issued on October 7.

It also expressed confidence that the European Union, the Carter Center, the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (Uniore), and other institutions —which have been also invited to deploy their electoral observation missions in the country— will arrive for that occasion.

In this sense, the communique mentioned that guaranteeing the impartiality in the electoral process is an invariable commitment of the Government, so that citizens can make the decision that corresponds and freely elect the next President of the Republic and Congress members, in an unpostponable and democratic transition that will take place on July 28, 2021.

"Finally, the Government of Peru is aware that the only way to overcome this serious crisis is by making a broad call for democratic political forces in the country, organizations representing the civil society, as well as all Peruvians, to have a cabinet of consensus and national unity," it said.

(END) JCC/CVC/MVB