Peru: Peru’s Congress rejected her proposal to move elections up to December 2023 In the midst of ongoing anti-President Ms. Dina Boluarte protests that have claimed dozens of lives.

Since December 7 2023, when former president Mr. Pedro Castillo was detained for attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree, the South American nation has been mired in a political crisis with almost daily protests. Last month, lawmakers already decided to move the elections from April 2026 to April 2024.

Ms. Boluarte requested Congress to reschedule the vote for December in the face of relentless protests, calling the current political situation a “quagmire.” Congress, however, rejected the measure at a plenary meeting with 45 votes in favour, 65 votes against, and 2 abstentions.

Leftist parties had demanded that the holding of elections be followed by a constitutional convention, which has been frequently asked by protesters. “Nobody has any interest in clinging to power, I have no interest in remaining in the presidency. If I am here it is because I fulfilled my constitutional responsibility,” insisted Ms. Boluarte.

Protesters have demanded immediate elections, as well as Boluarte’s removal, the dissolution of Congress and a new constitution, as per the report.

Ms. Boluarte was constitutionally required to succeed Castillo as vice president upon his impeachment by Congress and subsequent incarceration. According to spokesman Mr. Vedant Patel, the US State Department urged for “calm dialogue and for all parties to exercise restraint and nonviolence,” while expressing continued worry over the violent protests.

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