09:02 | Washington, D.C. (U.S.), Mar. 6.
United States Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), and
Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chair of the SFRC Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, issued the following statement underscoring the need for the Peruvian Congress to respect judicial independence.
"We are deeply disappointed and concerned by the Peruvian Congress' decision to move forward with its efforts to purge the country's autonomous National Justice Board (JNJ) by seeking to remove its current members," the legislators stated on Tuesday.
The
JNJ plays an integral part in
upholding the independence of Peru's judicial and electoral system, responsible for the appointment, removal, and oversight of judicial and electoral authorities.
According to both lawmakers, "this decision severely threatens the independence of the country's judicial and electoral processes, and represents yet another series of alarming actions Peru's Congress has taken in recent years, from the replacement of the Constitutional Court in a non-transparent process to the targeting of the head of the country's National Elections Tribunal (National Elections Board)."
The U.S. senators added that
"any appearance of political interference with the JNJ will have a profound impact on the legitimacy and strength of Peru's democracy."
"We urge members of Peru's Congress to uphold the integrity of the country's independent institutions and to seriously reconsider their current course of action," they concluded.
Peru's Parliament
A
Congress plenary session is scheduled to be held on March 6-7, following an
agenda that includes the final report on the constitutional accusation against JNJ members.
According to the document, they are accused of having allegedly committed serious misconduct in the fulfillment of their duties.
It also proposes the
disqualification for 10 years of all JNJ members from the exercise of public office.
(END) NDP/MVB
Published: 3/6/2024