Reactions for and against Pedro Castillo's proposal for consultation on a new constitution

The President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, announced on Friday that he will send a bill to Congress for consult citizens in the municipal and regional elections in October if they want a new Constitution. “We are going to send a bill to the Congress of the Republic, following the constitutional course, so that in these upcoming municipal and regional elections [...] the Peruvian people will be consulted whether or not they agree with a new Constitution,” said the leftist president.

The ruling party blames the current Constitution, promulgated in 1993 by then-President Alberto Fujimori, for being responsible for economic inequities in Peru, by enshrining a free-market model.

“We will deliver that bill that we are going to work on immediately,” Castillo added, speaking at a public meeting of the Council of Ministers in the Andean city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire.

During the campaign that brought him to power nine months ago, Castillo promised to convene a Constituent Assembly to draft a new magna carta.

However, this Friday he did not clarify what mechanism he will propose to draft a new letter, an initiative resisted by the leaders of the opposition right who control the Peruvian Congress.

On April 10, the National Jury of Elections (JNE) had clarified that the call for a referendum to approve a constitutional change requires prior approval by Congress by an absolute majority.

Castillo is a 52-year-old rural teacher who, as a candidate of a small Marxist-Leninist party, won the presidency in 2021 after a hard-fought ballot against right-wing Keiko Fujimori, the former president's firstborn.

REACTIONS

On social networks, different reactions were seen in favor of and against the measure announced by the head of state. The congressman of Avanza País, Alejandro Cavero, was blunt and commented: “What we should raise is a referendum for this man to leave.”

The legislator of Avanza País, Diego Bazán, said that with this proposal Castillo breaks the constitutional order protected by his immunity. “He did it by imprisoning Lima, he does it today by invoking the Constituent Assembly on behalf of Cerrón. I hope that this will encourage my colleagues to reduce votes for vacancy; if not, I advance elections... and we all leave.”

For his part, Sigrid Bazán of the Democratic Change bench, pointed out that there is “nothing more democratic than listening to the feelings of citizens, who cry out for real changes, through popular consultation”.

Meanwhile, former Minister Anahí Durand told the #NuevaConstitucion lawsuit: “Hopefully it will be approved and we will see if it is a matter of few or if it is a historical claim of a people sick of the robbery enshrined by the 93 constitution.”

In turn, former premier Pedro Cateriano pointed out that without a doubt, the #la initiative of President Pedro Castillo is “in violation of the constitutional order. The constitution can only be amended, complying with the provisions of article 206”.

While sociologist Lucia Alvites said: “In the last days at every march of the people, the cry of a new constitution resounded. There was no coverage, as if with those who ask for vacancy and vandalize the streets. Today the President announces consultation with the people, touches unity and struggle to write a new pact, a new future. Let's go!”.

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