Peru Senate Blocs Move to Remove the Ombudsman Over Congress Remarks
Key Facts
Peru’s ombudsman is meant to stand above party politics, yet Josué Gutiérrez has faced doubts since his election. Four Senate blocs now want him removed for what they call serious misconduct.
Four Senate blocs filed a request on 18 September 2026 to remove Gutiérrez, Infobae and El Comercio reported. They cite his remarks about closing Congress and alleged irregular hiring at his office.
Why This Matters
The Defensoría del Pueblo, Peru’s ombudsman’s office, defends citizens’ constitutional rights and oversees how the state treats them. Its head is chosen by Congress for five years and is meant to act independently of government and parties.
Gutiérrez, a former congressman and once a lawyer for Perú Libre leader Vladimir Cerrón, was elected in May 2023. He won 88 votes, one more than required, El Peruano reported at the time.
Peru’s Congress now has two chambers, and removal of the ombudsman is decided in the new Senate. It needs 40 of the 60 senators, a two-thirds majority, according to América TV and Gestión.
What the Blocs Allege
The blocs are Juntos por el Perú, Buen Gobierno, Ahora Nación and Obras. The request went to Senate president Miguel Torres of Fuerza Popular, El Comercio reported.
The first ground concerns remarks Gutiérrez made on 27 August, Gestión reported. He said that if President Keiko Fujimori closed Congress, her approval would rise to 80%, Infobae reported.
The petitioners called his position an attack on the Constitution and the balance of powers, El Comercio reported. The second ground rests on a report by the Comptroller General, Peru’s public audit office.
According to Infobae, the report found that service records were altered so that four hires met job requirements. Gestión said the television programme Cuarto Poder first aired the findings on 6 September.
How Gutiérrez Has Responded
On 6 September, Gutiérrez apologised conditionally for his comments on closing Congress. “If they are going to take it that way, I express my apologies,” he said, Infobae reported.
He added that criticising is “the most natural thing for a democrat”, according to Infobae. On the hiring allegations, he described the appointees as trusted staff, according to Gestión.
No authority has ruled that he committed misconduct. He has not publicly answered the formal request itself in the reports reviewed.
What Is Not Yet Known
It is not clear whether larger blocs, including Fujimori’s Fuerza Popular, will back the request. The reports reviewed did not say how many senators the four blocs hold together.
Nor is it known when the Senate’s Special Procedures Commission will schedule a hearing for Gutiérrez. If he survives the vote, his term runs until 2028, according to América TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Peru’s ombudsman removed?
A Senate commission reviews the request and hears the ombudsman’s defence. The full Senate then needs 40 of 60 votes.
Why do the blocs want Josué Gutiérrez removed?
They cite his remarks on closing Congress and an audit report on hiring at his office. He has apologised for the remarks.
Sources: América TV, four blocs seek removal, Infobae, the request and Gutiérrez’s apology, Gestión, grounds and procedure, El Comercio, the petition, Gestión, profile of Gutiérrez and his link to Cerrón, El Peruano, Gutiérrez’s 2023 election
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