Interpellation of Ministers Hernán Condori and Ángel Yldefonso LIVE: Session was suspended until 4:30 p.m.

MINUTE BY MINUTE

14:22 The President of the Congress suspended the session until 4:30 in the afternoon, after the end of the questioning of the ministers.

14:21 Among other things, Yldefonso stated that “the State Attorney General's Office is no longer part of the Ministry of Justice and is now an autonomous entity”. In addition, the Minister of Justice urged the Legislative Branch to unite for the benefit of the “governance of the country” at the end of his last intervention.

14:10 President of the Board of Directors of Congress, María del Carmen Alva, calls for the second intervention of the Minister of Justice.

14:05 Alex Paredes (Free Peru) said that the minister's past duties did not deserve any sanctioning document and that they were acquitted. He called for a comprehensive solution to the prison system and the human rights system in Peru.

14:00 Segundo Acuña (Alliance for Progress) said that in his office they presented 2 bills, which promote access to notarial services at the national level; but they were not discussed in plenary. He called for coordination between commissions so as not to paralyze bills.

13:59 Ruth Luque (Together for Peru) argues that it is important to see the past functions of each minister in order to know what his future role will be like. He also mentioned the prison situation and the abandoned intersectoral mechanism of human rights defenders.

13:56 Jhaec Darwin Espinoza (Popular Action) said that interpellation is part of the functions of the congressmen. “If the colleagues of the Peru-Libre bank bother, then they have to understand that it is our job; not only to support, but also to supervise and legislate.”

13:47 Eduardo Salhuana (Alliance for Progress) defined interpellation as a way for the minister to answer questions and for citizens to know who his officials are. In addition, he requested that Yldefonso build an agenda related to the prison system.

13:41 Edgar Tello (Free Peru) questioned the questioning of the Minister of Justice when his administration has not yet advanced. He believes that no facts from his past should be seen.

13:36 Maria Elizabeth Taipei (Free Peru) criticizes that another interpellation motion is being debated and calls for prioritizing Bill 1212. “Again, today we are supposedly using constitutional tools to destabilize the state and attack trusted officials legally and constitutionally elected by the President of the Republic.”

13:32 José María Balcázar (Free Peru) emphasizes that the minister answered all the questions, acknowledges his trajectory and defends the minister. It also mentions the prison situation.

13:32 The intervention of the spokespersons ends.

13:26 Elvis Vergara (Popular Action) calls on the minister to work in the notarial and penal system. “The prison system has a lot to work out.” He even acknowledged that the challenges to the motion are not sound. He asked the minister to say whether or not the removal of former State Attorney General Daniel Soria was correct.

13:25 Isabel Cortez (Together for Peru) understands that there is no argument to question the Minister of Justice as well as the Minister of Health. He argues that censorship is an attempt to destabilize the government.

13:23 Carlos Zeballos (Democratic Peru) asked the minister what he had done while in office. He asked what was being done to strengthen the Office of the Procurator's Office and public records.

13:20 Jorge Montoya (Popular Renewal) cites that the Minister of Justice handed over all the documents he has mentioned for analysis, as they will do with the Minister of Health. He also reminded parliamentarians what a motion for interpellation consists of. “Trust is important and in this government there is no trust because the president ignored any of the recommendations he has been given.”

13:15 José Williams Zapata (Avanza Pais) recalled the questions of his past duties. “You are the one who is going to be responsible for what will happen to the Peruvian State in relation to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as the International Court of Justice of the UN, because you represent the State and in that sense we could be giving birth to prestige.”

13:12 Waldemar Cerrón Rojas (Free Peru) there are no conditions to say that the Minister of Justice has affected the suitability of his office. “After a month, two months, let us continue to evaluate their work, let us closely follow the work that our ministers have been doing. Congratulations, Mr. Minister.”

13:11 The debate began in plenary.

13:11 LAST QUESTION: “The lawyer was not proposed, however, I need that there is no relationship of friendship or kinship by consanguinity, affinity or civil nature with the lawyer Celestino Narciso. Finally, I must emphasize that I have not been a procedural party in the court dismissed by the lawyer in reference as plaintiff, defendant, accused, or aggrieved”, he concluded.

13:10 NINTH QUESTION: “I do not know the content of this resolution and reiterated that the lawyer was not proposed as attorney general of the State. Only his profile, like other profiles, was evaluated on the basis of documentation,” he replied.

13:10 EIGHTH QUESTION: “The aforementioned lawyer was not proposed as Attorney General of the State,” he said.

13:09 SEVENTH QUESTION: “It is false that lawyer Celestino Narciso was proposed to the President of the Republic to assume the post of Attorney General of the State,” he said.

13:08 SIXTH QUESTION: “It is not within our powers to appoint or cease from office the officials or servants of the Office of the Attorney-General of State, since such work is exercised by that right entity. In this regard, officials who investigate the facts in the matter of complaint have full autonomy in their decisions,” he said.

13:07 FIFTH QUESTION: “There is no longer a council for the legal defense of the State, so there is no conflict of interest, since the Office of the Attorney General, as the governing body of the system, has full functional technical, economic and administrative autonomy for the exercise of its functions,” he replied.

13:05 FOURTH QUESTION: Yldefonso denied any administrative proceedings against him. “I always acted with the criterion of safeguarding the interests of the State,” he said before the plenary session.

12:52 THIRD QUESTION: The Minister of Justice rejected the allegations of negligence when he served as attorney for the Áncash Regional Government.

12:49 SECOND QUESTION: Yldefonso Narro acknowledged that he omitted information in his affidavit.

12:46 FIRST QUESTION: “I am 25 years in the profession and 10 years in the public sector”, then he mentioned his resume and all the public positions he has held.

12:45 The reading of questions began.

12:40 The Minister of Justice, Ángel Yldefonso, entered the Chamber to answer the questions of the congressmen.

12:34 After Hernán Condori's speech, the session was briefly suspended.

11:51 The Minister of Health, Hernán Condori, ended his speech by stating that “the Ministry of Health has been in charge of different ministers with a lot of parchments, masters and doctorates, and today, we have this state of health. So they are suitable and have led this chaotic health system.”

“And to me, to the village doctor, who has left everything to go to the countryside, sought pregnant women, seeking to save lives. As a health manager I know the problem and I have demonstrated it with work. There we have managed and created different health posts. (...) We are going to manage health centers, because if not who is going to do it, if they have not done so in all these years. Not only am I a doctor he knows, but he will give a solution,” he said .

“I have the suitability, experience, I show that I am ready to face the health sector. I am a defender of life,” he concluded.

11:50 Carlos Anderson (Podemos Peru) said that the first act of corruption by a public servant is to accept a position for which one is not prepared.

11:47 Ernesto Bustamante (Popular Force) asked Hernán Condori to combat pseudosciences that are commercialized without hindrance. “I would like the minister to attack pseudosciences in his management. Also to those who appear on night programs that say they will end the prostate or erectile dysfunction”

11:35 Héctor Valer (Democratic Peru) endorsed Minister Condori and revealed that he would vote in favor of his censorship, however, his speech and responses convinced him of his suitability for office. “He is a doctor who has arrived in Minsa supported by the doctors of the town, not by the commercial doctors or the big clinics. Only city doctors say that it does not represent them,” he said.

11:11 Victor Flores (Popular Force) says Minister Condori does not have the powers to remain at the helm of Minsa. “Nowadays, commissioning such an important ministry seems irresponsible to me,” he said.

11:08 Susel Paredes (of the Purple Party) says that “we have a minister who puts the health sector at risk. A minister is not only a technician, but also politically responsible for the sector, but the doctors themselves don't want it.”

11:02 Sigrid Bazán (Together for Peru) referred to Alejandro Aguinaga when he called forced sterilization a “family planning program”, “under deception and threats. Forced sterilizations are crimes against humanity.”

10:59 Aguinaga responds to Luque: “I regret the meanness of Congressman Luque. I invite you here to discuss on the spot the issue of so-called forced sterilization. What was created is a family program of productive planning. This family planning program seeks to reduce maternal motherhood.”

10:56 Elizabeth Medina (Free Peru) highlighted the minister's empathy and that the bunchy water corresponds to alternative medicine. “He is a village doctor, who has worked in rural areas for more than 25 years, areas where folk or unconventional medicine is used by citizens.”

10:54 Nivardo Tello (Free Peru) endorsed the minister and pointed out that all the “myths” against him have fallen. “Enough of hatred and let Minister Condori, who has just begun, work.”

10:50 Silvana Robles (Free Peru) says she won't defend the minister because “he didn't have time to be the minister who starts the big change in the health system.” He pointed out that he is being denied the possibility of making such a change. He argued that the Ashaninka people celebrated his appointment. “Their censorship may be inevitable.”

10:47 Alejandro Aguinaga (Popular Force) referred to Congresswoman Ruth Luque and invited her to discuss forced sterilization, defending it as a family planning policy. He denounced the appointment of Judge Rafael Martínez Vargas, “indicated for corruption and drug trafficking,” who would reopen the case.

10:40 Digna Calle Lobatón (Podemos Peru) declared that his bench is not in accordance with the current health policy and pointed out that the minister cannot remain in office, having been denounced for illegal practice of medicine. He called on the President to adjust his cabinet.

10:36 Ruth Luque (Juntos For Peru) questioned whether the Minister of Health took time from his answers to congratulate Congressman Aguinaga, who “is investigating the case of forced sterilization.”

10:33 Carlos Zeballos Madariaga (Democratic Peru) said that the minister's responses demonstrate the lack of human resources in Health within the country. He also asked him for more information, names, about his complaints, of the billion soles that should be allocated to the first level of care; in addition to the cost of vaccines and whether vaccines have been found to be expired.

10:31 Congressman Jorge Montoya (Popular Renewal) argues that all of Minister Condori's answers should be checked, which he said were partly satisfactory. “The Popular Renewal Bank believes that we are going to give a month to verify the actions that the minister has presented, verify their veracity and after that take a decision”

10:30 Congresswoman Rocío Torres Salinas (Alliance for Progress) is given the floor again, but she does not respond.

10:26 Congressman José Williams Zapata (Avanza Pais) recalled that the health unions - the national union of doctors of the Social Security of Peru - are not satisfied with his appointment. “They tell him that he has no solvency, they talk to him about ethics, that there is no direction or leadership.” He also referred to the 300 doctors of the Medical College of Peru and the Peruvian Federation requested his dismissal.

10:25 Congresswoman Rocío Torres Salinas (Alliance for Progress) did not turn on her microphone, she was remotely connected.

10:23 Congressman Waldemar Cerrón (Free Peru) defends Minister Hernán Condori after his presentation, noting that the issues of the interpleratory document are not related to the minister's management, but rather “external” issues. “The statement of the Minister of Health makes clear the moral solvency and the respective suitability he has to hold office.”

10:22 After the answers of Minister Condori, the debate began in the plenary of the Congress.

10:21 LAST QUESTION:

“The gentleman was evaluated by the technical area. He reported that he met the requirements. However, within a few days of hearing the complaints — not sentences — the decision was made to conclude it.”

10:20 SEVENTH QUESTION:

-” I have no responsibility for the findings of the Office of Control. I never hindered the investigations. The regional resolution in Junín notified me of the Directorial Resolution. This resolution is consensual and firm”.

10:14 SIXTH QUESTION:

“Colposcopy can be performed by trained health personnel, according to ministerial resolution.”

10:12 FIFTH QUESTION:

- “Because of my training and in compliance with the standards issued, I am qualified for screening for presumptive diagnosis of cervical cancer.”

10:11 FOURTH QUESTION:

“It is the premier who formally summons me to join the Cabinet. I was contacted earlier by the President of the Republic. The premier has not proposed to me to resign from office. However, we are under constant evaluation. My commitment is to the health of all Peruvians.”

10:09 THIRD QUESTION:

“As I have indicated and ratified, this product has a health registry of DIGESA in Peru, on September 18, 2017. While the statement that it had the authorization of the F.D.A. was inaccurate, if it is true that it is a product manufactured in the United States. I reiterate my previous answers, that I have not prescribed or sold this product to any patient. The press went to my population and found nothing

10:08 SECOND QUESTION:

“-I have never prescribed or marketed the product. I want to close this chapter. I spread this in a family circle, for a family member who is terrible, nothing more. The medicine we make is not going to help you, so I saw hope in such a product to use it in a relative. If your family member is serious and science can't do anything anymore? They question me why, but when they bought ivermectin for the fight against COVID-19, where is the scientific livelihood?

10:04 FIRST QUESTION:

- “The resignation of some members of the so-called advisory team does not in any way prejudice the vaccination process, which is guaranteed. (...) This was created in January 2021 to recommend criteria for prioritizing groups to be vaccinated. It was necessary to be technicians in prioritization actions. To date, these criteria are established in the national vaccination plan,” he says.

10:03 The second interpelatory sheet 2068 was read out.

10:02 NINTH QUESTION: In which scientific journal or reliable source is the healing properties of clustered water demonstrated or credited?

- “I have not mentioned at any time that this product has healing properties, that is, that by simply consuming it they can reverse some kind of disease. For this reason, I once again reiterate that I have not prescribed or marketed the aforementioned product, however, it does have a health record”

9:59 EIGHTH QUESTION: What were the conclusions reached by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic in its audit report on the hiring and operation of a tomograph at Hospital II - 2 La Merced, according to which it is alleged that you would have been negligent and breach of due administrative procedure , by omitting your compliance report?

- “With regard to the case mentioned, I categorically deny any responsibility. The competent authorities could not find any evidence or evidence of misconduct or irregular acts in my administration as a civil servant. I have never hindered or shy away from investigations, I am the one most interested in knowing the truth

However, even without my knowledge, or intervention, with Directorial Resolution No. 183-2019-DRSJ/OEGRH, of March 29, 2019, the ex officio prescription was declared. I always performed my functions in the public administration with competence and transparency, because they are values that my parents instilled in me, which is why, assuming this role as minister, I have denounced against the Comptroller's Office a money of more than 1 billion that were in the Ministry of Health for three years, of which only 3.7 have been used, of which would amount to 40 million. I have denounced that, because of those 40 million, 13 million have been used in consultancies. That was to strengthen the entire first level of care in Metropolitan Lima and La Libertad. We are simply fighting corruption and there are interests for the minister to step aside. But I'm always going to work with transparency.”

9:57 SEVENTH QUESTION: What were the evaluation criteria for appointing Mr. William Córdova Pardo as Deputy Executive II in the ministerial office, who has 20 criminal complaints for crimes such as violence against women or rape?

- “Like every public official, my duty is to comply with the regulations and the law. Therefore, the man in question was evaluated by the corresponding technical area, that is, by the human resources area of Minsa, which reported that it met all the requirements for the position. Therefore, having no legal impediment to his appointment, however, being a charge of free removal, a few days after hearing the complaints, I repeat, not judgments, but complaints against him, the decision was taken to terminate the appointment. Since then, he no longer has any employment relationship with the Ministry of Health.

In my administration I will not allow an official in legal or moral questioning and I condemn, above all, any act of violence against women, since day one my administration has been characterized by the frontal fight against corruption”

9:46 SIXTH QUESTION: On what do you base your claims when you argue that the Cluster X2 product, or Cluster Water, has the sanitary authorizations provided by DIGAMID, DIGESA and the F.D.A.?

“As I have indicated and ratified, this product has a health registry of DIGESA in Peru, on September 18, 2017. While the statement that it had the authorization of the F.D.A. was inaccurate, if it is true that it is a product manufactured in the United States. However, I reiterate that I have not prescribed or sold this product to any patient. The press went to my population and found nothing.”

9:54 FIFTH QUESTION: Specify under what circumstances did you promote, market or sell the product Cluster X2 or “cluster water”, stating that “when this type of clustered water enters our body it starts to enter the cells, hydrating the cells [...] it allows nutrients to enter the cells and also releases substances toxic substances that harm our body?

- “I want to be emphatic in this, the subscriber has never, I repeat, never prescribed or sold, nor marketed this product, nor any other analogous product to any patient. I am a surgeon, graduated from a national university and we prescribe the drugs that are within the national petition for medicines.

Also, I have not mentioned at any time that this product has healing properties, that is, that by consumption alone it can reverse some type of disease. This product is only water, it is not a drug and if it has authorization from Digesa, with health registration code n° p2622617enantgo, which is in active condition”.

9:52 FOURTH QUESTION: Do you have obstetric ultrasound studies, at which university and under what modality?

-” I do have knowledge of these subjects since I have taken the following specialization courses: 1- Diploma in ultrasound techniques in obstetrics and gynecology, with 648 academic hours, organized by the National University of Tumbes, in agreement with EcoImagen. 2- Certificate of progress in obstetric Doppler, organized by the National University of Tumbes, in agreement with EcoImagen. the Center for Advances in Maternal and Child Perinatal Research, under the auspices of the Cayetano Heredia University and the Medical College of Peru. 3- Certificate of fetal neurosonography, organized by the Center for Advancement of Maternal and Child Perinatal Research, under the auspices of the Cayetano Heredia University and the Medical College of Peru”

9:51 THIRD QUESTION: Did you perform ultrasound examinations on pregnant women?

- “Madam President, I have performed ultrasound scans for prenatal checks because I am trained and certified, in addition, the technical standard approved by Ministerial Resolution No. 546-2011-Minsa enables me to professionally enable this diagnostic support procedure to be performed by a general practitioner.

Likewise, in the district where I lived and practiced my profession, in Perené, it is the largest district in the central jungle. The reality is different there, in deep Peru there is no radiologist, which is the right specialty to perform this procedure, so I chose to train myself and with this help my population, which is about 70 thousand. Above all, to join the effort of the state, which is no more maternal death and that pregnant women give birth with trained and trained personnel”

9:46 SECOND QUESTION Do you need whether in the province of Chanchamayo, or anywhere else in the country, you treated, diagnosed and treated women with gynecological cancer?

- “In my district, where I did my work, there are more than 50 native communities, in Perené, Chanchamayo. As a general practitioner, I do attend and make presumptive diagnoses, but I have never performed biopsies and treatment of patients with cervical cancer. That is the management of the specialist, the obstetrician or oncologist.

Allow me to congratulate Dr. Aguinaga as you were Minister of Health. You and your team developed a manual for the prevention of cervical cancer for early detection in 2010. This is just one of the good things you did when you were Minister of Health. Thanks to this manual, we diagnosed more than 50% of cases of cervical cancer.”

9:42 FIRST QUESTION: Do you have a specialty degree in gynecology and obstetrics? If so, in what year did you obtain the corresponding degrees and in which university?

“I am a surgeon, graduated from the Federico Villarreal University in 1997. I did my serum in the northern part of the country in the Army, those times when there was conflict with Ecuador. During my academic training, I developed competencies in 5 major specialties : Gynecology and Obstetrics, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery and Public Health.”

9:30 The Vice-President of the Congress, Lady Camones, began the plenary session and invited Hernán Condori to the Chamber, who will answer two sets of questions contained in agenda motions Nos. 2065 and 2068, submitted by various parliamentary benches.

9:18 The Minister of Health, Hernán Condori, arrived at 8:45 in the morning at the Legislative Palace to attend the Congress Plenary, scheduled at 9 a.m., however, the session has not yet started. They report that they are waiting for parliamentarians.

BACKGROUND

The Congress of the Republic will challenge today, Wednesday 16 March, the Ministers of Health, Hernán Condori, and Defense, Angel Yldefonso. Both headlines are quoted for 9:00 a.m. and noon, respectively.

The Minister of Health, who will be the first to respond to Parliament, will face two questions, whose authors are congressmen Jorge Montoya, from Popular Renewal, and Diego Bazán, from Avanza País. Both were approved in plenary with 76 and 77 votes, respectively.

There will be 17 questions in total that Condori must answer and clarify if she has any specialization in gynecology or oncology and on the promotion of 'bunchy water', among other things.

In addition, he will have to report on the resignation of the advisory team for the vaccination process of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), whether Prime Minister Aníbal Torres contacted him prior to his appointment or if he was nominated by him to the position. It should also clarify the consequences of the comptroller's office by including it in an audit report on the hiring and operation of a tomograph at Hospital II-2 La Merced, among other questions.

Condori, after hearing the approval of the interpellation against him, spoke out on Twitter and assured that he will attend the Congress “to respond with objectivity and transparency, as it should be in any democracy.”

“I am respectful of the balance of powers and the political control carried out by the Congress of the Republic. Having approved the interpellation for this March 16, I will assist the national representation to respond objectively and transparently, as it should be in any democracy,” he wrote.

MINISTER OF JUSTICE

Angel Yldefonso, Minister of Justice, will have to appear before the plenary session of the Congress at noon where he will respond to the interpellation document, presented by congressmen of Popular Renewal, Popular Force, Avanza Pais, Somos Peru and the Morado Party.

“Respecting the Constitution and the Regulations of the @CongresoPeru, I will come to answer the questions of the congressmen. During my 25-year career, I have not had criminal or administrative sanctions and I have always put respect for the law and the service of citizens first,” Yldefonso said on Twitter.

The Minister of Justice is asked to detail the positions and functions he has performed as an official, the questions to his management as deputy regional prosecutor of Áncash and the 70 complaints of negligence against him when he was in that position and whether he has to date any disciplinary administrative proceedings before the Council of Legal Defense of the State. Likewise, whether the affidavit of interests he submitted was drawn up in compliance with Law 31227, how does he guarantee the independence and autonomy of the officials in his charge, among other issues.

HOW WILL THE INTERPELLATIONS BE VOTED ON?

According to article 131 of the Political Constitution of Peru: “The attendance of the Council of Ministers, or of any of the ministers, is obligatory when Congress calls them to question them.”

“The interpellation is formulated in writing. It must be filed by no less than fifteen percent of the legal number of congressmen. For their admission, the vote of one third of the number of qualified representatives is required; the vote is unfailingly taken at the next meeting.”

Likewise, “Congress sets a date and time for ministers to answer the interpellation. This cannot be held or voted on before the third day of admission or after the tenth day.”

MOTION OF CENSURE

When the minister's presentation does not satisfy the questions posed by the legislature, it may result in a motion of censure.

The motion of censure is provided for in article 132 of the Political Constitution of Peru and seeks to give effect to the political responsibility of the Council of Ministers or individual ministers.

The second paragraph of this article states that any motion of censure must be filed by no less than 25% of the legal number of congressmen. It is debated and voted on between the fourth and the tenth calendar day after its presentation. Its approval requires the vote of more than 50% of the legal number of members of Congress.

If the motion of censure is approved, the Council of Ministers, or censored minister, must resign. The President of the Republic accepts the resignation within 72 hours.

KEEP READING