Up to six Peruvian lawmakers from Juntos por el Peru are considering switching to rival parties following internal leadership disputes, according to La Republica.
Four of the deputies are evaluating a move to the right-wing Fuerza Popular party, while two others are negotiating their entry into Renovación Popular in the coming weeks.
The potential departures threaten to strip the left-wing coalition of six legislative seats, significantly altering the balance of power inside the Congress of the Republic of Peru in Lima.
Congressman Marlon Aguirre, who represents the central highland region of Junín, publicly denounced party spokesperson Ernesto Zunini for aggressive behavior and indicated he may leave the parliamentary group.
Allegations of internal bench disputes
Speaking in an interview with La Republica, Aguirre said Zunini has displayed negative and thuggish attitudes within the parliamentary group.
Aguirre questioned Zunini's leadership of the bench, arguing that all group decisions ought to be submitted to a vote among members before final actions are taken.
According to the lawmaker, when members of the caucus raise objections to this management style, they encounter discomfort from leadership rather than open dialogue.
Aguirre described the core disagreement as a fundamental matter of internal democracy within the legislative group.
Clashes over congressional committee leadership
The Junín deputy pointed to the distribution of key parliamentary committee posts as a central source of internal friction.
Aguirre alleged that Zunini appointed himself as vice president of the Congressional Budget Commission without receiving a nomination from any colleague in the bench.
He revealed that several deputies confronted Zunini over the self-appointment during an internal meeting held the day before his interview.
Zunini denied the claims in statements to La Republica, calling the account of the meeting totally false.
Aguirre also raised concerns regarding the leadership of the Congressional Energy and Mines Commission, which is currently chaired by Jennifer Paredes.
He stated that heading the energy panel requires specialized technical training, such as an engineering degree or related background, due to complex policy issues.
Among those complex issues, Aguirre cited the situation of informal miners registered in Peru's official formalization registry, known as Reinfo.
While clarifying that he was not accusing Paredes of any specific misconduct, Aguirre questioned her qualifications for the post and invited observers to draw their own conclusions.
Regional party discipline and local conflict
The internal feud has also spilled over into regional party structures in the Junín department.
Days before Aguirre gave his interview, the Junín Regional Committee of Juntos por el Peru issued a public statement asking the parliamentary bench to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him for his public criticism.
Aguirre responded by questioning the legal standing and legitimacy of the individuals who signed the regional document demanding his punishment.
He asserted that one of the prominent signatories, identified as Osman Delfonso, lacks credibility and has no valid legal registration within Juntos por el Peru.
Aguirre also targeted regional party leader Anélia Bendaña, accusing her of undermining candidate morale during the second round of elections.
He further blamed Bendaña for the party failing to field a candidate in the local province of Tambo in Junín.
Political background and legislative impact
Juntos por el Peru is a left-wing political coalition formed in 2017 that currently holds a modest block of seats in the single-chamber Peruvian Congress.
Under congressional rules in Peru, political caucuses require a minimum threshold of members to maintain official status, secure committee chairmanships, and receive parliamentary resources.
Fuerza Popular, led by Keiko Fujimori, and Renovación Popular, led by Lima Mayor Rafael López Aliaga, are both conservative parties that form major voting blocks in parliament.
If the six deputies complete their defecting moves to Fuerza Popular and Renovación Popular, Juntos por el Peru will see its parliamentary strength substantially diminished.
The impending split marks one of the most severe internal crises for Juntos por el Peru since the start of the current legislative session.
