Pedro Castillo: protocol greetings to break tension with representatives of the opposition

The President of the Republic Pedro Castillo appeared on Monday at the Congress of the Republic to lead a message to the plenary. As is known, a few days ago Prime Minister Aníbal Torres had made the request to the president of the Legislature, María del Carmen Alva for the president to give a speech, as allowed by the constitution.

The Board of Spokespersons agreed on Monday to accede to the request of the head of state to attend the plenary session of the Parliament on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. Previously, the head of state presided over an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers, in the Government Palace.

It is well known that since the beginning of the term of office of Castillo and the Congress, the relationship between the two branches of government has not been good. Quite the opposite. Confrontations are permanent on both sides. That is why the attitude of the president in Parliament, who had several meetings with who are his political enemies, drew attention.

Castillo arrived accompanied by some ministers and was received by the congressmen of Peru Libre at the door of the Legislative Palace. The turmoil entered the Chamber at 5 o'clock, despite the fact that it had been said that he would wait for the call in the Ambassadors Hall. Once there, the president greeted the members of the Board of Directors, Patricia Chirinos (Avanza Pais), Enrique Wong (Podemos Peru), Lady Camones (Alliance for Progress) and María del Carmen Alva (Popular Action). The greeting that attracted the most attention was the one given by Castillo and Chirinos, because the legislator was the one who promoted the first vacancy motion last December.

The cameras also showed Alva somewhat uncomfortable, making gestures of what seemed like a lack of coordination. Then he said: “The presidency expresses its warmest greetings to President Pedro Castillo and his cabinet of ministers.”

Another moment that attracted attention occurred when Castillo's speech had just begun and he called for a minute of silence for the victims of COVID two years after the start of the pandemic. However, the president did not do so through the president of Congress, as the protocol mandates. Alva took the floor: “I invite the national representation, the cabinet and the attendees to a minute of silence.”

THE PLURAL FAREWELL

At the end of the message, Pedro Castillo politely said goodbye to María del Carmen Alva, in a long handshake. At that time you can also see that the president of Congress says something to the president and they are holding a brief dialogue.

When he came down from the attic he was greeted by the government congressmen who gathered around the head of state. But Castillo went further and decided to greet other legislators such as Susel Paredes of the Morado Party, Alejandro Aguinaga of Fuerza Popular and Norma Yarrow of Popular Renewal. Another gesture that drew attention was the greeting with Rosangella Barbarán, who was behind her armchair.

Aguinaga soon after highlighted the president's gesture, because somehow it cuts the climate of constant confrontation between Congress and the Executive.

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