Peru Congress rejects President Dina Boluarte's plan for early poll as protests rage on

Peru's Congress on Saturday (January 28) rejected a request by President Dina Boluarte for early election in the country which has been rocked by anti-government protests since December last year following the arrest of Pedro Castillo,the former president. On Friday, Boluarte said that she was considering moving up the general election to later this year, describing the ongoing political crisis as a "quagmire." However, Congress rejected the proposal with 45 votes in favour, 65 against and two abstentions, a report by the news agency AFP said.

Last month, lawmakers had already agreed to an early election in the country from 2026 to April 2024. "With this vote, the constitutional reform proposal for the advancement of elections is rejected," Congress president Jose Williams said on Saturday, after over seven hours of debate.

ALSO READ | Peru faces shortage of food and fuel as anti-government protests continue

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After the voting was completed, Williams received a request for reconsideration, which could be debated on Monday in a fresh session, the AFP report said. However, it would be difficult to reverse the decision.

A total of 47 people have so far been killed in clashes between the police and protesters. On Friday, the US State Department said that it remained concerned about the violent demonstrations in Peru. The State Department called for calm dialogue and for all parties to exercise restraint and non-violence, spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a press conference.

Since the beginning of the protests, demonstrators have placed three demands —the resignation of Dina Boluarte, snap elections and a new constitution for Peru.

ALSO READ | Is Peru democracy in danger?

On Thursday, the government said that police and soldiers would soon move to dismantle roadblocks erected by the protesters. "The Peruvian national police, with the support of the armed forces, will unblock the national network of highways that have been the subject of a state of emergency," the country's defence and interior ministries said in a joint statement.

The decision comes as weeks of roadblocks in Peru's southern regions led to shortages of food and fuel. The AFP report said that as per an autonomous human rights office, another 10 civilians, including two babies, were collateral fatalities when they were unable to get medical treatment or medicines. Apart from the roadblocks, the protesters have also stormed several airports in the country, leading to their temporary closure.

(With inputs from agencies)

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