With 73 votes in favor –7 more than I needed – and 50 against, the president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, got the vote of confidence from Congress for his chief of staff, Guido Bellido, and the team of ministers. The vote, which represents a boost for the president’s management, was reached on the second day of debate in the legislature. “It is time to encourage a deep dialogue between all political roots, especially with the most forgotten sectors,” Castillo convened as a gesture for a Parliament in which the ruling party is in the minority.
“I thank the Plenary of the Congress of the Republic for granting the confidence vote“said the president in his Twitter account and stressed that” the search for consensus will allow us to govern together with the people and for the development of public policies of a social nature. ”
The rural teacher, who came to the presidency after a tight ballotage with Keiko Fujimori, invited to “build together a fairer Peru, in total respect for all its cultures, and without discrimination among its citizens.”
A legislative alliance for Castillo’s future
Even though Congress is controlled by the right-wing opposition, the cabinet succeeded in an endorsement based on the benches of the ruling Peru Libre, Popular Action and Together for Peru, that contributed 58 votes. I know They then added votes from the Alliance for Progress and some extra support from the SP-PM Alliance. On the other hand, the rejections were led by the Fujimori Popular Force, Popular Renovation and Avanza PaÃs.
The defining moment was reached after the 30 legislators who had not come to speak on the first day of parliamentary debate spoke; and after a new intervention by the Chief of Staff, Guido Bellido. What’s more, several ministers also went to Congress to present their plans for each sector and answer questions.
If Parliament had not given its vote of confidence, Castillo should have appointed another prime minister replacing Bellido and reorganizing the cabinet, which would have affected his agenda and caused even more uncertainty about the already badly hit Peruvian economy, in recession due to the pandemic.
In his last intervention, Bellido considered that “it is time to change and that all the inhabitants of this country can look at each other as equals, without any discrimination “.
Before the chief of staff, plans for each area were outlined and questions were answered by the ministers of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, VÃctor Maita; from Economy, Pedro Francke; from Education, Juan Cadillo; from Health, Hernando Cevallos; from External relationships, Oscar Maúrtua; and of Women and Vulnerable Populations, Anahà Durand.
Durand admitted that the lack of women in the cabinet is “something that will surely have to be corrected” and rejected “categorically the terrorism of the Shining Path and the MRTA”, a statement that responds to the fact that she was the partner of a Chilean accused of “terrorism” in 2003.
Maita, meanwhile, assured that “the second agrarian reform ” that the Government intends “It does not consist in expropriating, but it will be a reform with inclusiven “.
For his part, Cadillo revealed that his portfolio is “seeking international cooperation to strengthen faculties and schools”, in addition to defending the “gradual” return to classrooms due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
From Economy, Francke highlighted the idea of ​​”looking for a government program or a government plan in economic matters, which will lead us to progress, economic reactivation and employment” and declared himself “convinced that there is a wide space for agreement to work together and achieve the reforms that the country needs. “
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