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Peru: The biggest political stories of 2022

Photo: Congress/Victor Vasquez

13:06 | Lima, Jan. 1.

2022 was a complicated year, in which political crisis experienced extremely critical moments that led to a constitutional succession through which —for the first time in the history of Peru— a woman, Dina Boluarte, assumed the Presidency of the Republic.

Here are the most notable political events of the past year:

January 4

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo called for Regional and Municipal Elections to be held on October 2, 2022.

January 24

Then Head of State gave his first interview to an international TV channel (CNN).

January 28

Interior Minister Avelino Guillen submitted his resignation letter to President Pedro Castillo. He was, until then, the third head of the sector in the first six months since Castillo took office.

January 31

Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez resigned from her position almost four months after being appointed to replace Guido Bellido.

February 1

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo administered the oath of office to members of the new Cabinet led by Hector Valer Pinto, who replaced Mirtha Vasquez in the post.

February 4

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo announced the reshuffle of his Ministerial Cabinet.

February 8

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo administered the oath of office to members of the new Cabinet led by Anibal Torres Vasquez, who replaced Hector Valer in the post.

February 28

Transportation-Communications Minister Juan Silva resigned after seven months in the post.

March 17

Peru's Constitutional Court (TC) declared the habeas corpus filed by the defense of imprisoned ex-President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) admissible and reinstated the humanitarian pardon granted by former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in December 2017.

March 29

Peruvian lawmakers rejected a second presidential impeachment motion presented by a group of opposition parliamentarians against Pedro Castillo.

55 legislators voted in favor, 54 against, while 19 abstained. Consequently, the motion was shelved.

March 31

Parliament censured Health Minister Hernan Condori after having approved the motion which called for his departure from the Ministerial Cabinet.

April 8

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the Peruvian State should not release ex-president Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), in compliance with its treaty obligations.

April 25

The Executive Branch presented to Congress a constitutional reform bill aimed at putting a referendum on the ballot asking voters whether they wish to convene a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution for Peru.

May 10

The Congress of the Republic was able to muster the necessary consensus to elect the six magistrates of the Constitutional Court (TC) so as to replace those whose mandate had already expired.

May 12

The Congress of the Republic approved the disqualification for five years from exercising public office of former President Martin Vizcarra —in his capacity as former State minister.

May 20

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo enacted the bill which allows each worker to make an extraordinary withdrawal of up to 4 tax units (S/18,400 = US$4,901) from pension funds of the private Pension Fund Administrators (AFP) system.

May 26

During a plenary session, Parliament approved the censure motion against Labor and Employment Promotion Minister Betssy Chavez.

Half the legal number of total Congress members (66) was required for the proposal to pass. The motion was approved with 71 votes in favor, 28 against, and 12 abstentions.

June 5

Agrarian Development-Irrigation Minister Javier Arce resigned after almost two weeks in office. He said that his decision was based on personal reasons.

June 8

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo arrived in Los Angeles, United States, to participate in the IX Summit of the Americas.

June 20

In an extraordinary session, the Board of Supreme Prosecutors unanimously elected Patricia Benavides as the new Attorney General of Peru.

June 30

Parliament approved a censure motion against Minister of Interior Dimitri Senmache during a plenary session.

June 30

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo presented his irrevocable resignation from Peru Libre political party.

July 26

Congresswoman Lady Camones (Alianza para el Progreso) was elected Chairwoman of Parliament for the 2022-2023 legislative period.

July 28

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo addressed the nation on the occasion of the 201st Anniversary of Peru's Independence.

July 29

Then President Pedro Castillo led the Civic-Military Parade within the framework of the 201st Anniversary of Peru's Independence.

August 2

Somos Peru party legislator Wilmar Elera tendered his resignation as Third Vice-President of Parliament, after the Judiciary sentenced him to six years in prison for the crime of aggravated collusion.

August 4

Congress rejected the draft Legislative Resolution No. 2741 intended to authorize then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo to leave the country from August 6 to 8, 2022, in order to attend the activities related to the transfer of presidential power in Colombia.

August 5

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo administered the oath of office to six State Ministers who would lead the following sectors: Foreign Affairs; Economy-Finance; Labor-Employment Promotion; Transportation-Communications; Housing-Construction-Sanitation; and Culture. It must be noted that the Cabinet was led by Prime Minister Anibal Torres as President Castillo rejected his resignation from the post.

August 29

The President Pedro Castillo received the Pro-Tempore Presidency of the Andean Community (CAN) for the 2022-2023 period.

September 12

Avanza Pais (Go on Country) legislator Jose Williams Zapata was elected as the new Congress Chairman for the 2022-2023 term.

September 18

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo arrived in the United States to participate in the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

October 2

Regional and Municipal Elections were held throughout the country.

October 5

Then President of the Republic Pedro Castillo took part in the opening ceremony of the 52nd Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which was held in Lima from October 5 to 7.

October 11

Attorney General Patricia Benavides filed a constitutional complaint against the President of the Republic Pedro Castillo.

October 20

The Organization of American States (OAS) issued a resolution supporting the preservation of democratic institutions and representative democracy in Peru.

November 11.

The Special Electoral Board (JEE) of Central Lima delivered the credentials for Mayor-elect of Metropolitan Lima to Rafael Lopez Aliaga, as well as those for councilors to the next Metropolitan Council members.

November 17

Prime Minister Anibal Torres submitted a confidence motion during a Congress plenary session for the approval of a bill which repeals Law No. 31399 that strengthens the process for approval of constitutional reform laws —linked to citizen participation and control rights.

November 24

The Congress Board agreed by majority to flatly reject the motion of confidence presented by Prime Minister Anibal Torres during a Parliament plenary session held on November 17.

November 29

Then President of the Republic of Peru, Pedro Castillo, and his Chilean counterpart, Gabriel Boric, held a meeting at La Moneda Palace in the Chilean capital, Santiago.

December 1

Parliament admitted for debate the third impeachment motion against President Pedro Castillo.

December 1

The High-Level Group of the Organization of American States (OAS), in its preliminary report, recommended a political truce in Peru as long as dialogue among State powers, political parties, and society civil members is established and convened.

December 7

The President Pedro Castillo ordered the temporary closure of Congress and called for parliamentary elections.

Similarly, the justice system was declared to be under reorganization, thus involving the Judiciary, the Public Ministry, the National Board of Justice, and the Constitutional Court.

December 7

Ministers from various sectors tendered their resignations following President Pedro Castillo's Address to the Nation in which he announced a Congress shutdown.

December 7

Parliament approved an impeachment against Pedro Castillo from his position as President of the Republic due to moral incapacity in the exercise of duties.

December 7

Ex-President of the Republic Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and removed from office, was detained by the National Police.

December 7

Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra was officially named President of the Republic of Peru for the remainder of the 2021-2026 term.

December 7

Ex-President Pedro Castillo was transferred to the facilities of the National Police Special Operations Unit (Diroes) in Lima's Ate district, from the Lima Prefecture headquarters in Downtown Lima, after he was detained by the National Police when he left the Government Palace.

December 10

The President of the Republic Dina Boluarte administered the oath of office to members of her first Cabinet led by Pedro Miguel Angulo Arana.

December 12

President Dina Boluarte proposed bringing general elections forward to April 2024 —instead of holding them in April 2026.

December 12

The Executive Branch sent to Congress the constitutional reform bill that changes the presidential term and brings general elections forward to 2024.

December 15

Supreme Judge Juan Carlos Checkley ordered 18 months of pre-trial detention for ex-President Pedro Castillo, within the framework of the investigation for the crime of rebellion (alternatively, conspiracy).

December 16

Ex-President Pedro Castillo will be held at Barbadillo prison to serve an 18-month pre-trial detention approved by the Judiciary on December 15 —within the framework of an investigation for rebellion.

December 21

The President of the Republic Dina Boluarte Zegarra administered the oath of office to members of a reshuffled Cabinet led by new Prime Minister Luis Alberto Otarola Peñaranda, who replaces Pedro Miguel Angulo Arana in the post.

(END) GDS/CVC/RMB

Published: 1/1/2023

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