Vizcarra announces dissolution of the Congress of Peru

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Martín Vizcarra, president of Peru, when he presented the bills for a referendum in his country. (Credit: TEO BIZCA / AFP / Getty Images)

(CNN Spanish) - The president of Peru, Martín Vizcarra, announced the constitutional dissolution of the Congress and the call for new elections.

The Peruvian constitution indicates that the president of the Republic has the power to dissolve the Congress if he has censored or denied his trust to two Councils of Ministers. The first motion of confidence was denied to the cabinet headed by Fernando Zavala when Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was president.

Vizcarra had said this Sunday that if Congress did not discuss the issue of trust that has been announced by his government, they would take it as denied. In the “Fourth Power” program of América TV, the president said that if Parliament does not debate the issue of trust before electing the judges of the Constitutional Court, it will take it as a denial of it.

Martín Vizcarra said that "it is intended to elect members of the Constitutional Court in a very hurried, transparent manner and we have raised a question of trust to correct the form of election." The Constitutional Court is the supreme body of interpretation and control of constitutionality in Peru.

On July 28, Vizcarra proposed a constitutional reform to advance the general elections in Peru for one year, that is, so that both the office of president and that of the congressmen would be renewed in 2020, and not in 2021, as foreseen in The electoral schedule of the country. The Parliament filed the Executive Advance Election Project, in response, the Vizcarra government raised a question of trust to modify the election process of the members of the Constitutional Court.

Martín Vizcarra said during this Sunday's interview that he assumes “all the responsibilities of the exercise of my position. We are acting in full respect of the laws and the Constitution. We are legislating in favor of the country and not of particular interests ”.

News in development

With information from Jimena de la Quintana

Martín Vizcarra