The former Minister of Health Uriel García Cáceres refused to participate this Thursday in the event where he was to be decorated by the president of the Congress of the Republic, María del Carmen Alva (Popular Action).
Through a letter addressed to Alva Prieto, the former official thanked him for the invitation, but explained that he decided to decline it, considering that the tutelary institutions have lost legitimacy and do not represent the will of the people.
“I am grateful that your office has decided to include me in the list of personalities deserving of the decoration that you [María del Carmen Alva] and the Council of the Medal of Honor of the Congress of the Republic grant, on the eve of the end of their functions and our national anniversary”, reads the letter.
“Unfortunately, I must decline such an honor, undeserved, by the way, due to my indeclinable democratic principles learned alongside the founder of my party, Fernando Belaunde Terry, consider that the current tutelary institutions of the Peruvian State have lost legitimacy and no longer represent the authentic will of the Peruvian people”, he added.
As is recalled, García Cáceres was Minister of Health between 1980 and 1982 during the second government of the pro-populist Fernando Belaunde Terry.
Manuel Merino was decorated
At the event, Congress awarded the former President of the Republic with the Medal of Honor Manuel Merino de Lama.
The former presidents of Parliament Pedro Olaechea and Luis Galarreta were also decorated. In addition, it was attended by Vice President Patricia Chirinos and legislators such as Hernando Guerra García (Popular Force) and Waldemar Cerrón (Free Peru).
