Peruvian President Pedro Castillo waves as he leaves the Congress building in Lima on March 28, 2022. Photo: AFP.
This Tuesday, April 26, the president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, presented a bill to Congress for a constitutional reform that would allow the formation of a Constituent Assembly. The proposal also includes a referendum to consult citizens regarding a new constitution, one of his main campaign promises.
Through a letter addressed to the head of the Parliament of Peru, María del Carmen Alva, of the opposition Popular Action center-right political party, the president requested that the legislative initiative be labelled as “urgent,” and be submitted to debate and a vote before the plenary session of the Congress. However, the head of parliament referred to the referendum proposal for a new constitution as “unconstitutional and unfeasible.”
📢#TuCongresoInforma | Presidenta del Congreso, @MaricarmenAlvaP: “Propuesta de referéndum para una nueva Constitución es inconstitucional e inviable”.
Escucha #AlInstanteDesdeElCongreso con @danitzapalomino.
▶️https://t.co/msVsRw9AI8 pic.twitter.com/ZjNqu0Iznr— Congreso Radio (@Radio_Congreso) April 25, 2022
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President Castillo also asked that the population be consulted through a referendum, suggesting that it be held on October 2, when Peruvians will go to the polls to vote in municipal and regional elections. Voters would be asked to respond to the following question: “Do you approve the call for a Constituent Assembly in charge of preparing a new political Constitution?”
The proposal presented by President Castillo must be approved by the Peruvian Congress. The incumbant has the support of 32 of the 130 members of Congress, in addition to 12 deputies from other formations.
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— América Noticias (@noticiAmerica) April 28, 2022
If the proposal is approved
The Prime Minister, Aníbal Torres, explained that if the “yes” vote wins in a referendum, they would have to convene the Constituent Assembly, which would take charge of drafting a new constitution to replaces the current one implemented in 1993 by Alberto Fujimori.
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Torres insisted that members of the government, including the president, will not draft “a single letter” of the possible new constitution. In addition, during the creation of the magna carta, all the organisms would “fully maintain their functions, competences, and attributions.”
He also explained that the Constituent Assembly would be made up of 130 people, would be multinational in nature, and 40% of the representatives would come from political organizations. In addition, he added, 30% would be independent candidates, 26% Indigenous peoples’ representatives, and the remaining 4% from Afro-Peruvian communities. “Everyone will be democratically elected and not handpicked,” said Torres. “This new constitution will be submitted again to a referendum to be approved by the population.”
Featured image: Peruvian President Pedro Castillo waves as he leaves the Congress building in Lima on March 28, 2022. Photo: AFP.
(RedRadioVE) by Patricia Ferrer with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL/EF
