Senators Ben Cardin, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Tim Kaine, chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, issued a statement today, Friday, December 6, expressing their concern about the impact that the bill that seeks to modify Law No. 27692, regulating the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI).
In the statement, the senators pointed out that the legislative proposals include provisions that could severely limit the work of civil society organizations that receive international cooperation funds. These measures, they stated, “would betray Peru’s long-standing democratic traditions” and could undermine fundamental values shared between both countries.
“The broad and vague language of these bills risks chilling freedom of expression and undermining democracy,” they stated. They also warned that the approval of these measures, along with recent initiatives by the Peruvian Congress that limit accountability in human rights cases and weaken independent institutions, could jeopardize the strategic relationship between the United States and Peru.
Washington’s concern
Both senators stressed that freedom of association and expression are essential pillars of any democracy. In their message, they urged the Peruvian Congress to stop initiatives that weaken civil society, emphasizing that human rights and the fight against corruption must continue to be priorities in bilateral relations.
International and national reactions
The statement from the US senators adds to the concern expressed by the special rapporteurs of the United Nations, who on June 19 warned that the proposed reforms could interfere with the internal functioning of NGOs and hinder access to international financing. In particular, they highlighted that forcing organizations to record their activities and disclose sensitive information goes against international human rights standards.
At the local level, the report sent by Congress includes measures that some experts consider unconstitutional, such as the cancellation of the registration of NGOs for serious infractions. The Constitutional Court had already ruled against a similar initiative, declaring that it violated fundamental rights.
US Embassy Posture
The United States ambassador to Peru, Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, also expressed concern about this issue. In past statements during the first attack by the Peruvian Congress against civil society, he highlighted the importance of NGOs in strengthening democracy and warned that these measures could negatively affect international cooperation and the investment climate in Peru. On that occasion, the parliamentarians backed down and PL was not voted on.
“In any democracy, we need a strong civil society to guarantee its functioning,” said the ambassador in an interview on RPP, adding that more than $60 million annually from the USAID budget is allocated to working with local organizations.
The prediction sent by Congress includes measures that experts consider unconstitutional, such as the cancellation of the registration of NGOs for serious infractions. It should be noted that the Constitutional Court had already ruled against a similar initiative, declaring that it violated fundamental rights.
