- Title: Political tensions erupt in Peru as Congress confirms new leftist cabinet
- Date: 27th August 2021
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (AUGUST 27, 2021) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS REPORTEDLY LINKED TO THE OPPOSITION FACING OFF WITH RIOT POLICE NEAR CONGRESS DEMONSTRATOR LYING ON GROUND AND RIOT POLICE GUARDING PROTEST RIOT POLICE SHOVING DEMONSTRATORS DEMONSTRATORS LINKED TO OPPOSITION PROTESTING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION SUPPORTER, MONICA SANCHEZ, SAYING: "It is a disappointment, but we are grateful with the congressmen who have defended democracy and the country's freedom. This fight is not over; the fight continues. We are not going to accept this terrorist cabinet, and we are going to question minister by minister." VARIOUS OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS PROTESTING GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERUVIAN CONGRESSMAN, GUILLERMO BERMEJO, SAYING: "The cabinet basically depends on the president. Unfortunately, there have been too many rumours about it. Those doubts have been clarified by the congress and the streets. People are here in the streets supporting their cabinet and government." GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 10th September 2021 23:10
- Keywords: Congress President Pedro Castillo cabinet
- Location: LIMA, PERU
- City: LIMA, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES20IMF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tensions boiled over on the streets of Lima on Friday (August 27) as Peru's Congress confirmed a new leftist Cabinet nominated by President Pedro Castillo, allowing the fledgling administration to continue an agenda focused on higher social spending coupled with higher taxes for the mining industry.
Overall, 73 lawmakers voted in favor and 50 voted against confirming the Cabinet. Castillo's party, the Marxist-Leninist Peru Libre, holds only a minority of congressional seats.
The vote will give the Castillo administration some breathing room after a contentious first month, mired by allegations that some Cabinet members are aligned with a Maoist rebel group and a low 38% approval rating.
" We are not going to accept this terrorist cabinet, and we are going to question minister by minister," said Monica Sanchez, an opposition supporter while protesting outside Congress.
Castillo's supporters say instead that the Cabinet represents historically marginalized Peruvians who do not hail from capital Lima.
Castillo took office a month ago after winning the presidency by a margin of just 0.25 percentage points against Popular Force candidate Keiko Fujimori. His far-left platform has spooked markets, sending Peru's sol currency tumbling to historic lows.
Public opposition to the proposed Cabinet was fierce in the days leading up to the vote and led Castillo to replace a far-left foreign minister with a more moderate pick before Friday.
Castillo is the fifth Peruvian president in five years, a period marked by hostility between the executive and the legislature branches of government, including several impeachment attempts.
The current legislature is led by a center-right opposition coalition. Several of them raised concerns about the new Prime Minister Guido Bellido, who heads the Cabinet.
Bellido is facing an investigation into whether he has committed "apology for terrorism" because of Facebook posts published years ago in which he appeared to support a former member of the Shining Path rebel group.
The Maoist Shining Path killed tens of thousands of Peruvians in the 1980s and 1990s. Bellido denies the allegations and has not been charged with a crime.
(Production: Carlos Valdez, Liamar Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None