Boluarte announces she will promote “total reform” of the Constitution if Congress does not advance elections to 2023

The President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, announced this Sunday that, if the Congress does not approve tomorrow, Monday, the reconsideration to debate once again the advancement of the elections to 2023, she will propose two legislative initiatives “as a matter of urgency”, one of which will be aimed at paving the way for a “total reform” of the Constitution.

During a message to the nation, the head of state assured that the first initiative would contemplate a constitutional reform so that the general elections “will be held without fail” this year, with the first electoral round in October, and the second, if necessary, in December.

This proposal implies a constitutional reform incorporating special transitory provisions, one of which is the shortening of the current presidential term and that of the legislators and representatives to the Andean Parliament, elected in the general elections of 2021.

It is also provided that the President of the Republic shall call a general vote for the second Sunday of next October.

Congress may approve until next Feb. 28 other laws in anticipation of the elections.

“This normative proposal responds to the imperious need to improve the democratic legitimacy of the country’s political representation, a situation that will allow the population to channel institutionally, and not through violence, its main demands to the national political agenda”, he added.

On the other hand, Boluarte assured that the second initiative would propose that the new “Congress elected (in the next elections) entrust the Constitution Commission with the total reform of the 1993 Constitution”.

He explained that this proposal would be aimed at “settling once and for all” the debate on the reform of the Constitution, an issue permanently used by some opposition political forces “to undermine” any democratic solution to the current crisis, marked by massive protests.

After Congress approves the initiative, the President will submit it to a referendum so that the people may decide whether the total reform will be approved or not.

The head of the state’s proposal comes hours before Congress reconsiders debate on the bill to advance the elections to 2023, which was rejected last Friday with 65 votes against, while it obtained only 45 votes in favor when it requires a minimum of 87 favorable votes.

Boluarte insists on advancing the elections to 2023, while his opponents are marching in the streets demanding his resignation, the closing of the Congress, and the advancement of the vote, but the latter in conjunction with a popular consultation for an eventual Constituent Assembly.

Within the framework of these days, which have been violent mainly in the south of the country, Peru has now had 65 deaths since Dec. 7, when Boluarte assumed the Presidency after the dismissal of former President Pedro Castillo.