CNN
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In Peru, lawmakers on Friday rejected constitutional amendments needed to hold an early general election in 2023, as protests erupted as supporters of the former president took to the streets.
Calls for early presidential and parliamentary elections have been mounting since former President Pedro Castillo was ousted from power last week after he attempted to dissolve parliament and install an emergency government.
On Thursday, Castillo’s successor, President Dina Voluarte, called on Congress to “shorten the deadline and take the best option to achieve the necessary reforms” and called for early elections.
“Here we all need to go: executive and legislative,” she said.
However, only 49 MPs voted in favor of changes to speed up the electoral process, with 33 against and 25 abstaining, short of the 87 votes needed to pass the reforms.
“A constitutional amendment that would change the terms of office of the president, first vice president, and members of Congress elected in the 2021 election and establish an electoral process (and) general election for 2023 has not been approved,” said the Speaker of Congress. announced Jose Williams of
A reconsideration of the vote is currently pending, Congress later said on social media.
Castillo, a former teacher and union leader from rural Peru, was sentenced to 18 years in pretrial detention, ordered by the country’s Supreme Court on Thursday, as crowds of his supporters protested outside the courthouse and across the country. decided to continue for a month.
At least 20 people were killed and at least 340 injured in the unrest, according to the Ombudsman’s office on Thursday. Ongoing protests have left hundreds of tourists stranded after the Peruvian railway company canceled trains to the region.
But so far lawmakers appear to be resisting change. “Unfortunately, they have not listened to or understood the demands of the people and have refused early elections, so they have the right to remain in that position until 2026,” said a professor of constitutional law at the Catholic University of Peru. One Omar Cairo told CNN. .
Peru’s legislative bodies are already met with public skepticism. According to Peruvian law, the president and members of the House of Representatives are not allowed to serve consecutive terms, and critics point to their lack of political experience.
A poll released by the IEP in September 2022 showed that 84% of Peruvians disapprove of the parliamentary performance. Members of parliament are not only pursuing their own interests in parliament, they are also viewed as engaging in corrupt practices.
