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Peru PM: "The Govt will not stay with arms crossed"

15:04 | Lima, Sep. 26.

Peruvian Prime Minister Salvador del Solar on Thursday afternoon affirmed that President Martin Vizcarra's administration will not stay with the arms crossed.

Remarks were made following the Congressional Constitution Commission's decision to shelve the early general elections bill submitted by the Executive Branch to Parliament last July.

As is known, President Martin Vizcarra's administration had proposed calling for the general elections by 2020, one year sooner than initially expected, so that Peruvians would choose a new President, Vice-Presidents, and Congress members.

"We are going to act with the authority and strength the Constitution and laws grant us, and we are going to act with the responsibility this Parliament has not been able to show today," the high-ranking official told reporters from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers' headquarters.

Likewise, the Prime Minister warned that shelving the bill is against the spirit in which President Martin Vizcarra had presented this initiative during his Annual Address to the Nation.

"In contrast, we see their (Congress members') willingness to hold on to their position and not to pay attention to the interests of the country," Del Solar expressed.

"Are we going to allow that to happen? Are we going to allow, once again, the interests of the country to be put at the bottom?" he asked the nation.

In this sense, the cabinet chief indicated Peruvians have witnessed —once again— that when the interests of the country and those of lawmakers collide, the latter choose their own.

Furthermore, he questioned Parliament's decision to invite the Venice Commission —which recently visited Lima— but not to wait for the group's opinion on the bill.

Within this framework, the Prime Minister made a call for civic awareness, responsibility, patriotism, and citizenship surveillance.

"Let's not allow our rights to be trampled once again," he said.

President proposes early elections

In his annual Address to the Nation —on the occasion of the country's 198th Independence Anniversary— Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra proposed calling for early general elections by 2020, instead of 2021.

The initiative came as response to the way Parliament handled the political reform bills presented by the Executive Branch to Parliament and submitted to a confidence motion.

Congress granted a confidence vote to the administration over the projects on June 5. However, the approved bills had been altered during the debates by legislators.

"Taking into account that the confidence requested for the reforms has been approved only in words and denied in facts, I have decided —as consequence— to once again put the interests of Peru above all," the Head of State said on that day.

In this sense, the top official underlined that he has traveled across the entire country, noting there is no place in Peru where he has not been asked to dissolve Parliament.

"Peruvians should be able to choose their destiny to make the way for Peru's Bicentennial (2021). With this action, the foundations of our Republic will be reinforced, even if it means we must all go. Congress members, Peru First!" he pointed out.

"For all the above, I propose a way out of this institutional crisis. I present Congress a constitutional reform for the calling of early general elections, which implies cutting the congressional mandate to July 28, 2020," the highest-ranking official expressed.

"In the same way, in that reform, cutting the presidential mandate to that date is also requested," he added.

Congress has become very unpopular in Peru.

President Vizcarra's administration intended to implement reforms to enhance the political-judicial system. Plus, it launched a crusade against corruption.

He took office on March 23, 2018, to replace resigning Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. His term was initially expected to come to an end in 2021.

(END) VVS/DTK/MVB

Published: 9/26/2019

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