Free Peru won the biggest victory in their party history on June 6, 2021, when he won the presidential election from the hand of the rural teacher peter castle. Weeks ago, on April 11 of the same year, it managed to become —during the first round— the main political force within the Congress of the republicby taking over 37 seats for the 2021-2026 legislative period, which allowed him to access the highest amount for the concept of direct public financing with money from the ONPEthat is, with state money.
The privileged position of Free Peruafter the first electoral round of 2021, allowed him to access the amount of S / 10,756,396 for direct public financing delivered by the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE). An amount covered by the Law of Political Organizations to be used in the strengthening of political parties and their proper performance in electoral processes.
The Republic communicated with Ivan Lanegrageneral secretary of the Transparency Civil Association, who pointed out that the designated amount for each pool with parliamentary representation is calculated according to the number of votes obtained during the electoral contest: “The Political Organizations Law does not say that the fund is distributed by seat. What it establishes is that the fund is calculated from each vote obtained for Congress. That is, the votes obtained by each party in 2021 in the congressional election.”
It is so, to Free Peru, after being the most voted group, the highest amount was assigned for the period 2021-2026. Ahead of groups like People’s Force (S/ 9,575,305), People’s Renewal (S/ 8,432,687), People’s Action (8 255 716), Alliance for Progress (S/ 7,414,142) and Country advances (7,411,307); these being the ones that raise the most.
With part of the money received from the ONPEPeru Libre finances a monthly salary of S/ 12,500 for the general secretary of Peru Libre, Vladimir Cerron Rojas. Faced with this type of use of money from direct public financing, Piero Corvettohead of the electoral entity, announced that the institution will begin with “preliminary investigations” into the political parties that would have used public funds to pay media training consultants and cover salaries of its presidents.
Free Peru: from 37 to only 16 congressmen
After the resignation of Jose Maria Balcazar a Free Peru in June 2022, and the previous exodus of a good group of parliamentarians from Peru, the party’s bloc of Vladimir Cerron it was reduced from 37 to only 16 congressmen. In just one year, the ruling caucus lost the status of the largest political force within the Parliament to leave that label People’s Forcelead by Keiko Fujimori.
Faced with this reduction in the parliamentary representation of Free Peru, Ivan Lanegra explains that the Law of Political Organizations does not contemplate a reduction in money they should receive as a grouping: “It is not a fund for congressmen, but for parties. What needs to be generated are incentives so that parliamentarians cannot leave the party without political cost”.
Finally, the secretary general of the Transparency Civil Association points out that one way to look for a solution is that the National Office of Electoral Processesin coordination with the JNE and the Renieck, prepare a bill about it to introduce some changes: “First, establish that the fund must be managed under rules similar to those that public entities have when managing money from the public treasury. Second, establish that the funds must be delivered under substantive commitments that show party strength. And leave to the ONPE the regulation of these norms. Finally, resources must be given to the ONPE to strengthen the control of the funds”.
