Andina

Peru PM: Govt works for free, transparent and democratic elections in April 2021

12:00 | Lima, May. 28.

The Peruvian Government is working to hold free, transparent, and democratic general elections next April, which will allow a transfer of power in July 2021 to the new government that will be elected by the people, Prime Minister Vicente Zeballos affirmed on Thursday.

During his presentation before Parliament, the high-ranking official said that the Executive Branch believes in the popular mandate, which is why the first decree approved —during the parliamentary interregnum— was directly linked to institutional strengthening for governance.

"This decree was approved in order to comply with the provisions of article 134 of the Constitution, according to which elections must be called to renew Congress within four months following the date of its dissolution," he explained.

The Prime Minister argued that the regulation made possible free, plural, and democratic elections —recognized as legitimate by all and that allowed for a new Parliament, before which the Executive Branch today fulfills its constitutional duty.

He also highlighted that the government has been able to grant a constitutional channel to the differences, which in the past used to be resolved with coups d'état, but that today have been resolved with elections, in which the population participates massively.

"My presence this morning —to give an account of what we have done and what we plan to do to honor our political commitments— is conclusive proof that our institutions, despite anything, are up to the difficult challenges that sometimes the reality imposes on them," he concluded.

Remarks were made at a Congress session to request the confidence vote. 

On this occasion, the President of the Council of Ministers arrived at Congress joined by Cabinet members to report on the actions of the Executive Branch and present the government's general policy.


(END) FHG/CVC/MVB

Published: 5/28/2020