An opposition-led alliance won a vote on Monday to lead Peru’s Congress, a setback for socialist President-elect Pedro Castillo on the eve of his inauguration and a sign of challenges ahead to his plans to reform the constitution and increase mining taxes.
A leadership team, headed by centrist legislator María del Carmen Alva from the Popular Action party, won by 69 to 10 votes over a group led by retired military man Jorge Montoya from an ultra-conservative right-wing party.
A list of candidates proposed by Castillo’s Free Peru party was rejected over procedural issues, underscoring challenges the outsider president-elect faces pushing through reform in a fragmented legislature where no single party has a majority.
Peru opposition to lead Congress in setback for socialist Castillo
FILE PHOTO: Peruvian President-elect Pedro Castillo receives credentials from election authority after being declared winner of Peru s presidential election, in Lima, Peru, July 23, 2021. REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/Pool
July 26, 2021
By Marco Aquino
LIMA (Reuters) -An opposition-led alliance won a vote on Monday to lead Peru’s Congress, a setback for socialist President-elect Pedro Castillo on the eve of his inauguration and a sign of challenges ahead to his plans to reform the constitution and hike mining taxes.
A leadership team headed by centrist legislator María del Carmen Alva from the Popular Action party won by 69 to 10 votes against a rival grouping led by retired military man Jorge Montoya from an ultra-conservative right-wing party.
Leftist Shining Path militants killed at least 14 people, including two children, in a remote region of Peru known for coca production and burned some of the bodies beyond recognition, the military said on Monday.