RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Seventy-six percent of Peruvians consider that Congressman Guido Bellido, investigated for defending terrorism, should not be the head of the ministerial cabinet in the new government of leftist Pedro Castillo, according to a survey released this Friday.
According to the latest poll by the private company Datum, published in the newspaper Perú 21, three out of four Peruvians reject the appointment as head of the Council of Ministers of Bellido, a legislator prosecuted for defending terrorism by vindicating on social networks Edith Lagos, one of the famous faces of the early years of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path).
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In addition, the study reveals that 51% of the citizens believe that Congress should not give the vote of confidence to the ministerial team, and 57% maintain that the current ministers “will not be capable” of leading their respective portfolios.
The Datum poll comes barely a week after Castillo took office as President of Peru and swore in the members of his ministerial cabinet.
39% SUPPORT CASTILLO
The poll also states that Castillo, a native of the northern region of Cajamarca, has an approval rating of 39% and a disapproval rating of 41%. In comparison, 20% of those polled said they did not know whether or not they support the new president.
Rejection of Castillo reaches 34% in the north and east of Peru, falls to 30% and 27% in the south and center, respectively, and rises to 56% in the case of Lima, where a third of the country’s population is concentrated.
Likewise, Datum indicates that 46% of the citizens believe that the main priority of the new Government is the economic reactivation and employment, 43% the improvement of the health system, 34 % the fight against corruption, 27% the fight against crime, and 5% the call for a Constituent Assembly, one of the main planks of Castillo’s electoral campaign.
REAL RULER IS CERRÓN?
On the other hand, the study reveals that 42% of those surveyed consider that Pedro Castillo is the one who “really rules” in Peru. In comparison, 48% believe that the one who makes the decisions is the leader and founder of the ruling party, Peru Libre, Vladimir Cerron.
The Marxist doctor was serving a 4-year suspended prison sentence (without entering prison) for the crime of corruption when he was governor of the central Andean region of Junín, between 2011 and 2014.
Although this conviction prevented him from running in the presidential elections, his appointment to a ministerial cabinet position confirmed for many the suspicions about Cerrón’s influence in Castillo’s government.
The poll also indicates that 55% of Peruvians believe that the head of state puts the ideals of Perú Libre before the welfare and union of the country, and 62% consider that the administration lacks transparency.
The Datum survey was conducted among 1,250 people between August 2 and 4. It has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 2.8% plus or minus.