![]() ![]() The scandal gave the perfect excuse for the opposition to continue attacking the government. Then-vice president Vizcarra thereby replaced him. As a result, the president forcibly resigned in 2018 after videos alleging a vote-buying negotiation to avoid the first impeachment attempt were made public. Ultimately, they promoted Kuczynski’s removal based on his alleged links to the Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash) corruption scandal, an investigation that ultimately revealed bribery and money laundering across the region. In retaliation, the Fujimorista majority in Congress boycotted the government’s initiatives and aimed to censor its ministers. Congress’s decision to remove former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra at the end of 2020, accusing him of corruption in charges that many considered politically motivated, was the straw that broke the camel’s back, fueling massive protests across the country.įive years ago, then-right-wing Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski defeated Keiko Fujimori by a small margin. Although citizens were concerned with managing their economic situations and addressing the pandemic, the political elite was focused on attacking one another. Peru not only has one of the highest per capita COVID-19 death tolls in the world but has also experienced a corresponding economic downturn. Such extreme decisions have pushed Peru’s fragile institutions to a breaking point. In part, this is because of the elites’ irresponsible behavior-who recklessly prioritize their own political and personal agendas and use all constitutional and judicial mechanisms available to them to pursue their political enemies, eroding public trust in institutions. In five years, Peru has experienced the resignation of a president, a closure of congress, a call for early elections, a presidential impeachment (accompanied by multiple impeachment attempts), and the preventive imprisonment of the country’s main political leaders. The ongoing clash between the executive and legislative powers has created four presidents in a period of just five years. Since 2016, Peru has faced similar governability crises. The next few years may see further democratic erosion-and will almost certainly see an elite backlash against Castillo-while policies to improve Peruvians’ standards of living fall by the wayside.Įither way, the next few years may see further democratic erosion-and will almost certainly see an elite backlash against Castillo-while policies to improve Peruvians’ standards of living fall by the wayside. Peru’s Congress remains fragmented, and Castillo’s party does not hold a majority. Castillo’s own priorities have become somewhat unclear as he moderated his previous statements and altered the party’s platform between the first and second rounds of the election. But recent history points toward ungovernability rather than authoritarianism. He also has shown the necessary charisma and will to go against democratic institutions. Although both are populist and socially conservative, they have entirely different views on the economy and the role of the state.Īn important portion of the electorate feared this outcome, concerned Castillo might concentrate power and go down an authoritarian path-he has made statements indicating openness to shuttering the legislature should it oppose his suggested economic and political reforms. Pedro Castillo-a leftist candidate who proposed to “deactivate” important democratic institutions, such as the Constitutional Court and the Ombudsman’s Office-defeated right-wing Keiko Fujimori, a candidate beset by numerous corruption scandals who is the daughter of former Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori, by less than 1 percent of the votes in early June’s runoff election. On July 28, a new president will take office. ![]() As in previous elections, a significant group of Peruvians simply chose to leave their ballots blank yet this time, blank votes were the second “most voted” option. In the end, the two candidates who made it to the presidential runoff barely got 33 percent of the vote during the first round. Unsurprisingly, a large percentage of voters in general elections this year chose populist, anti-system candidates from all sides of the spectrum. ![]() This has contributed to the public perception that democracy is not working, either because it does not produce concrete results or because all politicians are corrupt. Over the past few years, politicians have engaged in near-constant takedowns of opponents-including impeachments and judicial targeting-and obstruction of governance. Peru’s longest period of democracy yet is in danger of coming to a painful close. ![]()
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