Peru: Pedro Castillo overcame his first government crisis | His Ministers of Economy and Justice took office, which were resisted by his party

From Lima

President Pedro Castillo completed his ministerial cabinet, which had been left incomplete due to internal differences. After a day of tension and speculation, on Friday evening, economist Pedro Francke, a key figure in Castillo’s team, returned to the firm to fill the portfolio of Economy and Finance. It was the same for the lawyer Aníbal Torres, who had left the portfolio of justice and human rights. Both had been sacked at the last minute from the ministerial cabinet, which was sworn in around midnight Thursday. They did so by disapproving of the nomination of the Congressman of the ruling Free Peru party, Guido Bellido, as President of the Council of Ministers.

Bellido is challenged by past homophobic and macho statements, now recalled and harshly criticized by progressive sectors allied with Castillo. From the right, with massive media support, they try to disqualify him by granting him alleged sympathies with the Maoist armed group Sendero Luminoso, defeated more than two decades ago, for calling the senderistas “mistaken Peruvians who also Rights “.

Commitment

The ministerial chief of staff issued a statement to try to soften the criticisms leveled at him. He said he had ratified his “strongest commitment to democracy, governance and human rights” and his “categorical” rejection of “all forms of violence and terrorism”. Of Andean origin, he said he had suffered discrimination “first hand” and expressed that he will work for equal rights. “Together, we will overcome the racism, classism, machismo and homophobia that are deeply rooted in the country,” he wrote, correcting past statements.

To come back

The surprise appointment of Bellido and the resignations of Francke and Torres, when everything was ready for the swearing-in of the cabinet, sparked the first government crisis freshly published. Castillo spoke to them and convinced them to come back. They took office on Friday evening, completing the first cabinet of the historic left-wing government led by a peasant and rural teacher who forged an important link with the popular sectors, from which he himself came.

Pedro Francke, 60, is a respected economist with a long history on the left. He was the head of the economic plan of former presidential candidate Verónika Mendoza of the progressive coalition Together for Peru. In the second round, the left rallied to support Castillo and Francke became its main adviser on economic issues. He was a key element in the development of the appeal “Bicentennial plan” presented by Castillo for the second round and the basis of what will be its economic policy.

The “Bicentennial Plan” stands out from the more radical proposals of Free Peru in power, which defines itself as Marxist-Leninist, like the nationalization of the economy, which Francke has dismissed. Castillo too. Francke’s proposal includes an increase in public investment, an increase in taxes on transnational mining companies, facilitation of loans for farmers and micro and small entrepreneurs, among others. As we know, Francke would have demanded that his economic plan be supported in order to return to the cabinet. Castillo gave him that assurance. As evidenced by a message that the chief of staff sent via his social networks before the return of the economist was confirmed: “Pedro Francke has all our support for the application of the economic policy of stability expressed in the Bicentenary Plan . ”

The Minister of the Economy swore “for sustained progress towards good living, for equal opportunities without distinction of sex, ethnic identity or sexual orientation, for democracy and national consensus”. A clear message to the chief of staff and his past discriminatory expressions against women and sexual minorities. In a subsequent message sent by twitter, Francke underlined “the urgency of recovering employment while respecting private property, ensuring the proper functioning of markets, promoting private and public investment”. , by responsibly promoting the change that Peruvians expect ”.

Internal

The Minister of Justice Anibal Torres, 78 years old and born in the Andean region of Cajamarca under the name of Castillo, who returned to the firm with Francke, He led the president’s legal team that faced Fujimori’s claims in electoral courts that he tried to overturn Castillo’s votes to steal his victory. All of these lawsuits were won by the legal team led by Torres. The lawyer had criticized Vladimir Cerrón, secretary general of the ruling party, Peru Libre, on a conviction for bribery of which he was the victim, which upset the party leadership, but Castillo insisted on his appointment. In the fight between Castillo and Cerrón, the latter pushing to seek power in government, the appointment of Bellido is a point for the latter, but the return of Francke and Torres strengthens Castillo.

Hits and misses

“It would have been serious if Pedro Francke did not take over as Minister, that would have generated economic problems. Bellido’s appointment was a mistake as it set up a conflicting storyline. The government does not have a majority in Congress and is forced to negotiate and agree to govern. It is a cabinet crossed by internal contradictions ”, he underlined to Page 12 historian and political scientist Nelson Manrique.

In the opinion of sociologist Alberto Adrianzén, “Francke’s return to government is positive, he satisfies sectors of the left allied with Castillo and also in the center, but it makes little sense for the right which has opted for confrontation and polarization., and that he is in the process of seeking to overthrow the government. The behavior of the right and the media these days is impressive. I think in the next few months the right will bet to remove Castillo from Congress or a coup”.

Adrianzén says Bellido “may not be the best option” to lead the cabinet, but he is convinced that “the right will always find something to face”. “The right wing that lost the election,” he said, wants to impose its policy on Castillo and has similarly attacked any other chief of staff who is not aligned with his policy.. That, according to some opinions, Bellido is accused of having apologized to terrorism as it is done is pure McCarthyism”.

The right-wing opposition has the votes in Congress to deny trust in the Bellido cabinet it is so critical of so much that it would have to step down, but that would put them at a point where President Castillo can dissolve parliament and call for new ones elections, to what is allowed if two cabinets are censored. It would slow them down.

“The greatest danger is that in Congress they will not let govern to create the conditions to add the necessary votes to declare the moral incompetent of the president and dismiss him», Manrique warns. The right now has 79 votes out of the 87 it needs to remove the president.