Peruvian Elections and Politics: Boluarte era, political crisis continues

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Betssy "Two-Speed" Chávez seems like a real character in her own right.

Can’t believe Peru’s first coup since 1992 is also by someone named Chino.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Betssy "Two-Speed" Chávez seems like a real character in her own right.

Can’t believe Peru’s first coup since 1992 is also by someone named Chino.

"Betssy Betzabet Chávez Chino" feels ripped from a telenovela adaptation of The Bird's Nest. If I gave that name to a fictional character who was from Peru a sensitivity reader would flag it immediately.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Betssy "Two-Speed" Chávez seems like a real character in her own right.

Can’t believe Peru’s first coup since 1992 is also by someone named Chino.

"Betssy Betzabet Chávez Chino" feels ripped from a telenovela adaptation of The Bird's Nest. If I gave that name to a fictional character who was from Peru a sensitivity reader would flag it immediately.

Especially if the character was a communist who attempted an incompetent coup.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

This is also a real fall from grace (or rather a continuation since his premiership) for Aníbal Torres. From stopping Keiko’s coup attempt in 2021 to reportedly being the brains behind one the very next year.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Boluarte’s (first) cabinet was sworn in. Prime minister is Pedro Angulo Arana, former head of the national bar association and 2021 presidential candidate for PPK’s party Contigo. He resigned from the Attorney General’s office in 2011 due to a sexual harassment accusation and apparently has ties to corrupt judge César Hinostroza.

Rest of the cabinet seems relatively normal, largely vice ministers and other minor officials. Eight women and eight men, still missing transportation and labor.

Foreign Affairs: Ana Cecilia Gervasi (vice minister and former ambassador to the WTO)
Finance: Alex Contreras (vice minister)
Justice: José Tello Alfaro (election law professor and former legal advisor for Congress and the JNE)
Education: Patricia Correa (teacher and former head of the ministry’s Regional Coordination Office under Toledo and García)
Health: Rosa Gutiérrez Palomino (director general of operations)
Defense: Alberto Otárola (minister under Humala)
Interior: Cesar Cervantes (head of the national police force under Sagasti, fired by Castillo for authorizing raids on PL headquarters to investigate Cerrón)
Housing: Hania Pérez de Cuellar (no relation AFAIK) (former head of the national intellectual property agency)
Women: Grecia Rojas (vice minister and director of the unit on violence against women)
Environment: Alvina Ruiz (vice minister under Vizcarra and former head of an NGO)
Energy and Mining: Oscar Vera Gargurevich (civil servant within Petroperú)
Agriculture: Nelly Paredes del Castillo (head of the Forest Service)
Production: Sandra Belaúnde (director general for policy and regulation)
Culture: Jaír Pérez Bráñez (various roles within the ministry over 10 years)
Tourism: Luis Elguero González (trade advisor for the Japanese embassy)
Social Inclusion: Julio de Martini (vice minister for social assistance)

[PSOL]

Well, I expect the right to win in the presidential runoff and parliament once the government falls apart, just like in Ecuador when the centrist faction took over.

Of course, I expect the response to be worse than in Ecuador and violent protests to flare up almost immediately once they start f•••ing s••• up

[P. Clodius Pulcher did nothing wrong]

This is becoming more common in Spanish speaking countries, Boluarte is not the first. I think people call CFK "Vicepresidente"

Not at all, she always insisted that people should call her Presidenta (or vicepresidenta) while in office. In fact, I can't even find a news article (or anything really) where she is refered to as "Vicepresidente". Maybe someone that hates her uses the term ironically or something lol

Oh ok I must have confused that with someone else then

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Well, I expect the right to win in the presidential runoff and parliament once the government falls apart, just like in Ecuador when the centrist faction took over.

Of course, I expect the response to be worse than in Ecuador and violent protests to flare up almost immediately once they start f•••ing s••• up

My money is on López Aliaga, although I think he’d have to abandon his new job as mayor of Lima relatively quickly.

This is becoming more common in Spanish speaking countries, Boluarte is not the first. I think people call CFK "Vicepresidente"

Not at all, she always insisted that people should call her Presidenta (or vicepresidenta) while in office. In fact, I can't even find a news article (or anything really) where she is refered to as "Vicepresidente". Maybe someone that hates her uses the term ironically or something lol

Oh ok I must have confused that with someone else then

Perhaps Isabel Perón?

[Lumine]

Unlikely as it seems, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of the eventual right-wing nominee managing to screw up against Antauro. And christ, that would be frightening.

[PSOL]

Unlike Castillo, antauro would be immediately removed by the parliament.

Aliaga should have this in the bag on paper.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Unlike Castillo, antauro would be immediately removed by the parliament.

Aliaga should have this in the bag on paper.

Not without the Unbeatable Titans of the etnocacerismo-FREPAP coalition.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Antauro gave a speech last night in which he recognized Boluarte as the legitimate president, and his supporters responded by throwing bottles at him. https://twitter.com/AlexFebrero_/status/1601736334796025856?s=20&t=AYgnzTcOBRZ53HbXJXKqqQ

Pro-Castillo protests have begun in the rural south, with supporters taking over the airport in Andahuaylas (very symbolic as the site of Antauro’s failed uprising against the Toledo government, which landed him in prison for two decades).

[PSOL]

All the terrible people in Peruvian politics are for Boluarte over Castillo, go figure

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

All the terrible people in Peruvian politics are for Boluarte over Castillo, go figure

Antauro compared the impeachment to Bambi’s mom dying, so I’m not sure if we can say that he’s “for” Boluarte. Anyway, I don’t think anyone beyond Castillo’s deepest and most hardcore base, who either supports the coup or is desperately trying to rationalize it away (“he was drugged” etc) actually supports him anymore - the protesters we’re seeing currently and the maybe 15 or so allies he has left in Congress. The real question now is who supports fresh elections as soon as possible vs trying to see Boluarte and the current congress through til 2026.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Boluarte just gave a brief speech in which she announced that the next general election will be moved up to April 2024, two years ahead of schedule (as far as I can tell this is apparently the earliest date they could be realistically moved to). She also said that she’ll propose reforms to the political/electoral system, which she didn’t describe, and declare a state of emergency in “zones of high social conflict” (Interior Minister later confirmed that this is Ica, Arequipa, and Apurímac). Unsure whether this’ll calm the protests. Certainly not all of them, but perhaps some.

[Lumine]

Regrettably, protests have apparently resulted in four deaths already. It's not looking good at all.

Among other developments:

-Castillo and Betssy Chavez formally charged with rebellion and conspiracy against the state by the Attorney General.

-Castillo and allies double down on the whole "shadowy conspiracy, President was drugged" angle.

-Aníbal Torres becomes a self proclaimed fugitive, goes AWOL in physical terms and keeps claiming via Twitter the removal of Castillo was illegal.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Regrettably, protests have apparently resulted in four deaths already. It's not looking good at all.

Among other developments:

-Castillo and Betssy Chavez formally charged with rebellion and conspiracy against the state by the Attorney General.

-Castillo and allies double down on the whole "shadowy conspiracy, President was drugged" angle.

-Aníbal Torres becomes a self proclaimed fugitive, goes AWOL in physical terms and keeps claiming via Twitter the removal of Castillo was illegal.

Yeah, and one of the deaths was a 15-year-old :/. Very sad stuff.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I support the protests in Peru. It's clear that Castillo was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Castillo from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Castillo myself).

https://twitter.com/DiegoEnLaLucha/status/1602132017767796738

Congress had to be suspended yesterday after a fight broke out.

It's clear that congress never accepted Castillo as a president in the first place. How can you lead a country if you ignore you have a president.

I don't support a government that kills protestors. Maybe y'all do but i don't.

https://www.infobae.com/america/peru/2022/12/11/asociacion-nacional-de-periodistas-del-peru-registro-ataques-contra-21-periodistas-desde-que-se-iniciaron-las-protestas/

Press freedom also under pressure by physical agression towards journalists.

I see that the "Biden should take credit for ousting Castillo" framing really is starting to age well. These are the same ones that would have supported Pinochet helicopter tours or Anez her coup.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

I support the protests in Peru. It's clear that Castillo was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Castillo from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Castillo myself).

   

[LAKISYLVANIA]

https://twitter.com/el_reportero/status/1602697398068944897

Presidents of Honduras and Mexico spoke out in defence of Castillo, refusing to recognize Dina Boluarte meanwhile.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I support the protests in Peru. It's clear that Castillo was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Castillo from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Castillo myself).

 

Ousting Castillo from office wasn't legitimate and was a coup.

https://twitter.com/manolo_realengo/status/1602692451545845763

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

I support the protests in Peru. It's clear that Castillo was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Castillo from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Castillo myself).

 

Ousting Castillo from office wasn't legitimate and was a coup.

https://twitter.com/manolo_realengo/status/1602692451545845763

How exactly was it a coup? Furthermore, was Castillo's attempt to close Congress and take control of the judiciary not a coup? or are some coups better than others.

Westerners who instinctively support autocrats just because they say leftist things reeks of noble savagery. It’s just a shade away from the obnoxious statements that come around ever so often that every protest against a leftist leader is financed by the CIA.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I support the protests in Peru. It's clear that Castillo was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Castillo from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Castillo myself).

 

Ousting Castillo from office wasn't legitimate and was a coup.

https://twitter.com/manolo_realengo/status/1602692451545845763

How exactly was it a coup? Furthermore, was Castillo's attempt to close Congress and take control of the judiciary not a coup? or are some coups better than others.

Westerners who instinctively support autocrats just because they say leftist things reeks of noble savagery. It’s just a shade away from the obnoxious statements that come around ever so often that every protest against a leftist leader is financed by the CIA.

The current coup government is illegitimate. It is not elected by the people, there is zero involvement of Peruvian people in this gvment.

Current protests are in favour of Castillo (or against this government in particular) and it's clear that the coup by the government wasn't supported by the people.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

“I support the protests in the United States. It's clear that Trump was anticipating a coup with his self-coup and that removing Trump from office on its own was a coup itself (even if i don't like Trump myself).”

And on the topic of the actual protests - what do they want? New elections? That’s already been announced. What’s left, freeing Castillo? Closing Congress and then…what, Boluarte or (god forbid) José Williams ruling by decree?

[LAKISYLVANIA]

my understanding is that Peru's government set-up for impeachment is massively flawed, basically you can impeach any president for any stupid reason (kind of like USA), but they used bullsh**t reasons to do impeachments 6 times so far in the last few years, and theyve had 6 presidents in 6 years

so Castillo is an outsider and got in and congress blocked EVERYTHING he did, he even tried to compromise with them but they didn't care, and then they impeached him with bullsh**t reasoning. so basically his position is "you guys have been trying to do a coup against me this entire time, that's more of a coup than the coup I'm doing right now"

Western media and US propaganda of course framing it as a self coup. That's what is happening.