BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2023) The Congress of Peru, despite ongoing protests in the Latin American republic that have already resulted in the death of dozens of nationals, has rejected the proposal to hold the 2023 presidential election in December, according to the parliament.
"The Congress, with 54 votes in favor (68 votes against and two abstentions), did not support the constitutional reform to move the presidential election to December 2023," the parliament said after the vote.
On December 7, 2022, Peru's parliament impeached former President Pedro Castillo. Then-Prime Minister Dina Boluarte took an oath as the country's new president within two hours of the impeachment vote, vowing to serve out the rest of Castillo's term, until July 2026. Castillo, who had tried to dissolve the parliament before the vote, was arrested after the impeachment procedure, and the Peruvian prosecutor's office later launched a criminal case against him on charges of a coup attempt and crimes against the state.
These events have sparked a wave of protests across the country. Demonstrators denounce the post-impeachment government and call for an immediate presidential election and termination of the country's parliament. At least 58 people were reported to have died since the start of the protests.
