The Peruvian Congress removed its president, the right-wing Lady Camones, this Monday (5), after the release of audios in which the head of his party asks to prioritize a law that favors his campaign for governor.
“The motion of censure against the President of the Congress of the Republic, Lady Camones, was approved, so the board of directors declares the vacancy [destituição] of office”, announced the vice president of the legislative body, Martha Moyano, after the vote.
Camones, from the opposition Alliance for Progress (APP) party, had been elected to the post six weeks ago by a large majority of her colleagues on the bench.
The motion of censure obtained 61 votes in favour, 47 against and 5 abstentions, among the 113 parliamentarians (out of a total of 130) who participated in the session. A simple majority was needed to pass it.
The request was presented by a multi-party bloc of left-wing groups linked to the government of President Pedro Castillo and right-wing parties that this time joined the election.
Supporters of the motion of censure reached a consensus to point out that the Congress was being placed at the service of the private interests of the head of the APP party, César Acuña.
The audios that brought down Camones, recorded at a party meeting over the weekend, were released by the Epicentro news portal. In them, Acuña asks that a bill be prioritized to obtain votes in the region of La Libertad, for which he is running for governor in October.
The election of a new president of Congress, fragmented among a dozen groups, but with a right-wing majority, must take place within five days, according to the Legislative regiment.
“It’s a victory for the government,” APP candidate for mayor of Lima, Omar Chehade, told television channel N.
Among the left-wing parties supporting Castillo, who represent nearly a third of Congress, the surprising result was celebrated. In more than 13 months in power, the president lives with pressure from the Public Ministry and the siege of Congress, which demands his resignation.
Castillo survived two attempts to impeach him by Congress and the MP cannot bring him to trial until the end of his term in July 2026, due to his privileged position.
After the audios were released, the president’s chief of staff, AnÃbal Torres, had defended the resignation of the congressional board.
The last time Congress had removed its leader was in 2000, when the opposition passed a vote of censure against Fujimorist lawmaker Martha Hildebrandt.
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