Peru's chamber of congress, Lima. Photo: File.
The president of the National Election Board (JNE), Jorge Luis Salas Arenas, announced that the organization is prepared for the eventual advancement of general elections to December 2023.
On Tuesday, December 20, the plenary session of the Peruvian Congress resumed the debate on bringing forward elections to 2023 amid the ongoing political crisis in the country.
With 94 votes in favor, the legislators approved reconsidering the vote made last week and restarting the discussion on the matter.
Eighty-three percent of Peru’s population wants to move the elections forward, and it is one of the fundamental demands of the protests that have resulted in at least 26 deaths due to the violent intervention of the police and military forces.
Golpe in Peru: Castillo Under Arrest, People Demand a Constituent Assembly
The Ombudsman’s Office also urged Congress to vote “urgently” to reconsider the bill to advance elections and “contribute to the solution of the political and social crisis that the country is experiencing.”
Additionally, Jorge Luis Salas Arenas, president of the National Elections Board (JNE), announced that the body is prepared for the general elections to eventually be moved forward to December 2023.
Asylum for the family of President Castillo
Meanwhile, according to what Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reported on Tuesday, Mexican authorities have granted asylum to Pedro Castillo’s family.
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) December 8, 2022
Ebrard gave a statement during AndrĂ©s Manuel LĂłpez Obrador’s Tuesday morning press conference, saying that “Asylum has already been granted because they are in Mexican territory, that is, they are in our embassy [in Lima],” RT reported
Asylum was granted to Castillo’s wife, Lilia Paredes, and their two children. The Ebrard indicated that their “safe passage” is now being negotiated with the Peruvian authorities so that “if they want to leave, they can do so” and travel to Mexico.
(Al Mayadeen) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/FV/SF
