Congress today evaluates censorship against Willy Huerta: what are the scenarios and the situation in the Ministry?

Congress of the Republicchaired by José Williams, scheduled vote of no confidence against Interior Minister Willy Huerta in a plenary meeting to be held Friday 23 from 9.00 On the initiative put forward Country SuccessHuerta should be removed from office for his “manifest moral incompetence and unfitness to perform official duties.”

In particular, opening the door to censorship responds changes in key positions in the National Police of Peru (PNP) and to a set of actions against Colonel Harvey Colchado, who was removed just over a week ago and reinstated as head of the Investigation Department (DivBus) of the Main Intelligence Directorate (Digimin).

And, importantly, it is Colonel Colchado who is responsible for providing support to a special team of prosecutors investigating President Pedro Castillo’s circle for alleged corrupt practices.

In other words, to have a complete picture, Colchado supports the prosecution in the investigation against Castillo no more, no less than being alleged leader of a criminal organization which will operate from the Government Palace. And Castillo, through his legal defense, filed a formal letter with the inspector general of police to punish Colchado for the raid on the executive headquarters.

Meanwhile, following the removal and subsequent replacement of Colchado from DivBus headquarters, the Department of the Interior released a statement revealing that Willy Huerta was unaware of what was given to the occupant of his sector, and which tentatively ended in a promise to investigate.

“Master of the sector, Willy Huerta did not authorize the issuance of the above memorandum. (…) in connection with which he ordered an investigation to determine responsibility and act in accordance with the law,” the statement says.

Will censorship be achieved?

Willy Huerta needs at least 66 votes to censor at the plenary session, of which at least 33 people have already signed the proposal.

In the meantime, Eduardo Saluana has announced that the Alliance for Progress (APP) will vote in unison to dismiss the head of the ministry. If we add to them the block vote of Avanza País, the promoters of the initiative and the right benches (People’s Strength and People’s Renewal) will have the support of 52 parliamentarians.

At Integrity and Development, Flor Pablo, Sucel Paredes and Hector Acuña signed the offer. Maria del Carmen Alva, Carol Paredes and Silvia Monteza of Acción Popular did the same, while José Geri (Somos Perú), Enrique Wong (Podemos Perú) and Carlos Anderson (Not grouped) also joined the initiative. In these conditions censorship against Willy Huerta would already have 61 votes.

Accion Popular could tip the scales

The voices of the People’s Movement could be decisive in tipping the scales in favor of censorship. Eleven votes are contested (excluding three members who have already signed the proposal) which, if an agreement is reached in internal elections, will force President Castillo to seek a replacement as head of the ministry.

In this regard, Deputy Representative of Acción Popular, Joseph Arreloa, put forward in a conversation with the RPP that he was for censorship. “This is a personal decision, but if we take as an example the censorship of former Minister Geiner Alvarado, then the majority was in favor of censorship. Only one congressman did not vote. If this attitude continues, the majority of the members of the bench would vote for. The Minister showed no individuality and actually acted as a puppet of the President due to the drastic changes in the police and the control of Colonel Colchado,” he said.

So does his teammate, Ilyich Lopez, was also ready to censor the minister at this Friday’s plenary session. “The bench did not sit on this issue, but I personally believe that the executive branch, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs, violated the normal development of the ministry, since with the change of generals and members of the PPP, the ministry as a source of protection for the president or the process that he has. This is a minus this case and these actions spoil any management of the minister. In this sense, I’m going to state on my bench that, unfortunately, we must again face the problem of censorship.. But these are actions that the executive power itself generates with these acts that raise doubts among the population,” he said in a dialogue with the RPP.

Another bench that might surprise Free Peru. It cannot be ruled out that the bench, which ceased to be an official party after the systematic mutilation of its members, repeats what happened with the election of the President of the Board of Directors, who, contrary to all forecasts, decided not to support Luis Aragon. , a candidate precisely from Accion Popular.

David Sulmont: We are in a delicate balance

Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Catholic University, David Sumontreferred to the possible censorship of Minister Huerta and pointed out that it is likely that Pedro Castillo’s government will continue in the same vein regarding the interior portfolio. In addition, he stressed that, on the other hand, the Congress has several common features with the executive branch in terms of its incompetence.

“These interventions or police actions designed to protect the president’s entourage from certain investigations make the management of such an important sector overly politicized. about what you want to do with the country. I think that if Minister Huerta is censored, it is likely that the government will appoint a similar character. I don’t see the president having a coherent vision for the government, rather he wants to survive, keep swimming and keep the water from getting above his neck. And for this he also has the same useless parliament at the helm. We are in some kind of shaky and mediocre balance, which does not safely fall off a cliff, but rolls no one knows where, ”he said in an interview with RPP.

For Sulmon, while Minister Huerta’s denunciation is necessary, it will not necessarily help him better appeal to the government.

“I don’t know how your censorship would help; however, it’s not that he’s doing an important job. The Ministry of the Interior has always been a complex ministry. This is one of the governments that has had the highest turnover of ministers in previous governments, although this government has broken almost all records in terms of ministerial rotation, and this partly shows that it is difficult for the executive to strengthen his cabinet with figures with more solid political views. weight and more support in Parliament,” he added.

Finally, he noted that the constant conflicts between the executive and legislative branches hinder a clearer understanding of where the country is heading.

“There is also a game of tension and balance between the executive branch and parliament, which we have seen on previous occasions. Obviously, frequent changes in any portfolio interfere with the construction of a long-term policy, but Nor does it appear that this government has a more or less clear vision, at least in the medium term.”, He finished.