Peru’s Castillo confirms prime minister’s resignation and anticipates cabinet renewal

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo confirmed Thursday the resignation of Prime Minister Anibal Torres after the Congress denied him the vote of confidence requested on Nov. 17 and announced that, as a consequence, he would renew the ministerial cabinet.

“After this express refusal of confidence, with the expression of flat rejection, and having accepted the resignation of the premier, whom I thank for his concern and work for the country, I will renew the cabinet”, he informed in a short message to the nation.

In a televised broadcast, he took the opportunity to invite the legislators to “reconsider”, and at the same time, he urged them to respect “the constitutional rule of law, the right of the people, democracy and the balance of powers”.

Castillo made his pronouncement after the president of the Parliament, José Williams announced that the legislative board decided “by the majority to reject outright the question of confidence” requested by the Prime Minister.

During his intervention on Nov. 17, Torres asked the Plenary of Congress to approve, through a question of confidence, a project that sought to repeal Law 31399, which limits the approval of constitutional reforms through a popular referendum.

For the Peruvian head of state, this law has “arbitrarily” taken away from the citizens their right to resort “once again” to the referendum exercise for the approval of reforms without having to pass first through the filter of the Parliament.

He reiterated that the same “snatched and prevents the right of all citizens to political participation directly and without intermediaries, through the referendum”.

According to the Peruvian Constitution, if the legislature rejects a vote of confidence requested by the Executive, the latter must reshuffle its cabinet and request its approval from the Parliamentary Plenary again.

If Congress rejects a request of confidence a second time, the Executive is empowered to dissolve it and immediately call for new legislative elections.