With just over seven months in office, Peru’s president, Pedro Castillo, will face a second vacancy motion — a removal by Congress, but different from impeachment, which is another legal mechanism — and could lose his post.
He already got rid of such a motion in December, getting the votes to stay in power. This time, the initiative comes from a group of right-wing parties led by Avança País. So far, it has gathered 50 signatures — to be accepted, 52 supports are needed, and opponents are confident of getting them on the day of the debate in the plenary.
However, there is still no date set for this discussion in Parliament.
The current vacancy request lists 20 items, including a recent statement by lobbyist Karelim López to the Attorney General’s Office accusing Castillo of money laundering. He is also accused of having had meetings outside the official agenda with businessmen interested in taking advantage of public works.
Castillo gave contradictory answers to the Prosecutor’s Office about these encounters, later admitting them in interviews with Peruvian television, stressing that they were personal.
Other complaints point out that the president maintains a kind of “parallel office”, which advises him on political and economic measures.
This kind of unofficial ministry would be led by the leader of Peru Libre, Vladimir Cerrón. The politician from the president’s party was prevented from being a candidate because he had convictions for corruption, and in this configuration he would operate as an informal representative.
Facing great political instability since taking office, Castillo has had to change his official cabinet at least four times. He also faced calls to challenge the election, the resignation of the head of the Armed Forces shortly before taking office and occasional dismissals of assistants – for controversial statements, allegations of irregularities and for holding a party amid restrictions imposed by the government to contain the pandemic. .
In one of her statements before leaving the government, former prime minister Mirtha Vázquez stated that “what should change was the president’s surroundings, not the ministers”.
Parliament should start discussing the vote of confidence in the new cabinet, appointed a month ago, on Tuesday night (8).
