Minister of Education on the early elections: “We have already done what we had to do”

The approval of a project to bring forward the legislative elections remains one of the tasks of the Congress. After the presentation of two legislative initiatives which enabled a rapid return to the polls, the Executive He has shown that he will not insist on promoting a way out of the crisis. This was clarified by the Minister of Education, Oscar Becerrato the attitude of Parliament.

“We cannot continue in this byzantine discussion in which we design a legislative initiative, archive it, we design another,” the cabinet member said of the drafts presented since the Executive. Let us recall that in mid-December the President To Boluarte announced an initiative to advance elections to 2024 which, although initially supported, was relegated after protests escalated.

Faced with the lack of consensus among the parliamentary benches, the Executive again sent a bill, this time proposing the advancement of the elections to 2023. However, it did not even reach the plenary session since the Constitution Commission and Regulation decided to return it to the archives. “We have already done what we had to do. I am sure that the Congress will do what corresponds, ”added the boss of Minedu.

Becerra tried to emphasize that the Boluarte government respects the separation of powers, but stressed that the demands made during the protests do not represent the majority of Peruvians. “What defines what the majority of Peruvians say is the elections and the elections gave the legislative power to the members of Congress that we have and the Executive power to the president that we have right now,” he said.

For his part, he avoided answering whether the decision not to insist on early elections is a way for the current government remain in power until 2026. He only stressed that “we are all obliged to respect the laws, which are for everyone whether we like it or not and that does not mean that we are interested in a position or the other. It only means that we are obliged to respect the laws that apply to all Peruvians,” he concluded.

So far, we know that Parliament has decided to extend its legislature until Friday, February 17, in order to discuss in committees the requests for powers from the Executive. For his part, the President of the Congress, José Williams, indicated that the debate on the plan to bring forward the elections could be put back on the agenda if the plenary approves it by majority. However, there is no certainty that this can happen.

Despite Congress’s inability to push through a bill to advance the legislative elections, some faces that could be on the electoral map have already begun to emerge. From the Purple Party, an invitation was extended to the former President of the Constitutional Court, Marianella Ledesma. He said he had analyzed the possibility while proposing solutions to the political crisis.

Former presidential candidate Yonhy Lescano said he received calls from Popular Action bases. For their part, if they decide to run, it should be the militancy of the lampa party which, through primary elections, would choose its representatives for the next elections. Lescano is one of the figures insisting that President Dina Boluarte resign to stop the disorder that has plagued Peru for two months.

Former President Martín Vizcarra awaits the official registration of his party before the national electoral jury. Peru Primero has completed a good part of the process and if it is completed in the coming months, he will participate in the next elections. The former president, like Lescano, leaves the choice of candidates in the hands of activists. However, your main problem will be to lift the ban against you.