After Fuerza Popular announced that it will present a motion of censure against the Minister of Transport and Communications, Juan Silva, now Congress is seeking to question the heads of Health, Hernán Condori, and Justice and Human Rights, Ángel Yldefonso.
There are two interpellation motions already presented in Congress. In the case of Yldefonso, it is mentioned that “he has not stated in his affidavit of interests that on May 12, 2017, through Regional Executive Resolution No. 0155-2017-GRA-GR/p, he was regional deputy prosecutor of the Government Regional Office of Ancash, with the rights and obligations inherent to the position”.
In this sense, it is argued that the head of the Minjus “would have committed the crime of ‘ideological falsehood’, typified and punished in article 428 of the Penal Code.” The interpellatory statement includes 10 questions. Among other things, he is asked to clarify whether he has an administrative disciplinary process open before the State Legal Defense Council which, depending on the Minjus, could mean a conflict of interest.
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Regarding Condori, one of the reasons for questioning him, according to the motion, is that “he promoted himself in Chanchamayo, Junín, as a ‘specialist’ in gynecology, pediatrics, among other specialties, despite the fact that he did not have such studies.”
Likewise, the promotion of clustered water, a “product without a scientific basis”, is questioned, according to what is read in the motion. It is also added that before the Health Commission, Condori indicated that he investigated the clustered water in Google, “a response that is inadmissible by the national representation.” It is also recalled that the Medical College has requested the departure of the current head of the Minsa, who replaced Hernando Cevallos in office. The sheet is 9 questions.
These two motions to bring Condori and Yldefonso to the plenary are multiparty. There are signatures from representatives of Popular Renewal, Avanza País, Purple Party and Popular Force.
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It should be noted that the Alliance for Progress (APP) has also been promoting an interpellation motion for Condori, although with 52 questions. According to his spokesman, Eduardo Salhuana, the necessary signatures are being collected. “I have already had contact with Fuerza Popular,” he informed this newspaper.
These interpellations are added to the censorship against Silva, from Transport. A first motion had been promoted by the Purple Party legislator Susel Paredes, which did not have support among her colleagues. Now there is a second one that Fuerza Popular presented yesterday. Hernando Guerra García, from the Fujimorist caucus, had said that his group would join the support of other forces, and he did so. Paredes announced that he would join, although she questioned that Fujimorism only reacts when the “mud is up to the head.”
Only after ministers have answered questions in Congress can censure be sought. That is the case of Silva, who, as is recalled, was questioned on November 25.
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Due to a convenient disinterest of the Legislature, the censorship was not continued, despite the fact that the complaints have not stopped. For example, last Friday, Fabiola Caballero resigned as Vice Minister of Transportation. In her farewell letter, she explained that the sector had been, in practice, an employment agency. Silva did not accept her resignation and on Monday she terminated her appointment through a supreme resolution published in El Peruano.
If the responses of Condori and Yldefonso do not satisfy the Plenary, they could suffer the same fate as their colleague from the MTC. This occurs in a context in which the cabinet led by Aníbal Torres (the fourth so far in the Government of Pedro Castillo) will have to attend the Legislature to present the general policy of the Government and ask the national representation for a vote of confidence. The president of Congress, María del Carmen Alva, summoned the premier together with the cabinet for 4 pm on Tuesday, March 8, in order to present the general policy of the Government.
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Without changes
What is the Executive’s response? At yesterday’s press conference, after the Council of Ministers, his position on these motions against part of his cabinet was presented to the premier. There was no answer.
In any case, government sources indicate that at this time no changes are being considered in any portfolio. Among President Castillo’s advisers, it is considered a mistake to have yielded in the first cabinet when the finger was dropped to former Foreign Minister Héctor Béjar even before trust was requested. By Béjar came Oscar Maúrtua.
In the Government they consider that they have enough votes for the investiture. It is true that only a simple majority is necessary, a barrier that seems surmountable, especially now that the Executive and Legislative branches have reached a kind of truce, although it is not known how long it will last.
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From Palacio they also estimate that the threat of a vacancy has been diluted because the relationship with Peru Libre has been rebuilt.
Without the support of part of the ruling party caucus, reaching 87 votes to remove the president is, in practice, impossible.
The government’s relationship with Peru Libre has been able to recover in part because Castillo agreed to give the party a quota in the cabinet. Condori came this way. Moreover, on the day of the swearing-in, on the 8th of this month, the founder of the ruling party, Vladimir Cerrón, congratulated the minister on his social networks.
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However, if any of the motions lead to the departure of any of the ministers who are questioned about their background, the Executive will be forced to replace him.
One option that is being considered in Congress is to give confidence to the cabinet and then proceed to censor the most questioned ministers, one by one. Several benches have assured that it will be so.
The key
Confrontation. Norma Yarrow and José Cueto, from Avanza País, endorsed the constitutional complaint against President Pedro Castillo, presented, among others, by Lourdes Flores and Fernán Altuve.
