Peru's President of the Council of Ministers, Luis Galarreta, announced that the government expects to finish drafting its request for delegated legislative powers by Monday.
Speaking in an interview with Peruvian news station RPP, Galarreta said Justice Minister Ernesto Álvarez has been assigned responsibility for completing the final text of the proposed measure.
Galarreta explained that the Justice Minister and technical teams are working to finalize the scope of the decree powers, expressing confidence that the proposal will be ready for submission by Monday at the latest.
The request for delegated powers initially leaked at the end of July, and Peru's president had stated in early August that the formal document would be submitted within that week. However, submission was delayed as executive offices conducted internal coordination and technical reviews.
Galarreta attributed the delay to bureaucratic procedures required when modifying legislation across different ministries. He noted that changing even a single paragraph in a legislative draft must move through complex administrative channels, which can stall progress by a full week.
Police tenure rules
The prime minister also addressed legal constraints currently preventing the government from removing General Óscar Arriola from his position as commander general of the National Police of Peru.
Galarreta admitted that a law establishing a mandatory two-year tenure for the police chief, which was originally promoted by Fujimorismo, may have been a policy error. He stated that while fixed terms are prudent for the leadership of the Armed Forces, the rapid evolution of organized crime requires the police leadership to be equally flexible.
He added that fixing a rigid two-year term prevents the administration from evaluating whether the head of the national police is succeeding or failing in the role.
Addressing questions regarding General Arriola's continuity, Galarreta stressed that the Executive branch cannot take illegal actions by dismissing the commander general without a proper statutory basis. He emphasized that General Arriola must align with the current administration, noting that executive confidence can be lost in as little as two days.
Criminal justice reforms
The requested legislative delegation will also seek procedural reforms to combat rising crime across the country. Galarreta highlighted plans to close legal loopholes that allow individuals arrested in flagrante delicto to be quickly released, a phenomenon locally referred to as a revolving door in the justice system.
Galarreta confirmed that specific legislative modifications to strengthen the legal framework and procedural treatment applied to criminal suspects have been incorporated directly into the request for decree powers.
Fiscal policy review
Alongside security measures, the government is holding coordination meetings with technical teams from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to review national fiscal policy.
These consultations involve evaluating existing tax and fiscal regimes to optimize funding allocated to Peru's regional governments and establish realistic budgets for public infrastructure projects.
