Four Peruvian opposition parliamentary blocs are meeting on Tuesday to determine whether to support a censure motion against Interior Minister Cesar Astudillo.
The four political groups, comprising Ahora Nacion, Obras, Juntos por el Peru and Buen Gobierno, scheduled the joint session for 5.00 p.m. on September 29 amid rising dissatisfaction with government security policies.
Opposition lawmakers introduced the motion following a sharp increase in violent crime across the country and the murder of journalist Susy Isabel Aponte Polo, who was widely known as La China Polo.
Daniel Barragan, a senator representing the Obras civic party, announced the meeting but emphasized that his parliamentary group had not yet reached a final decision on whether to support removing the minister.
Barragan explained that while members of Obras in the Chamber of Deputies previously voted to support filing the censure motion, the party parliamentary bloc would evaluate the matter internally before casting its final vote.
He added that representatives from the four opposition groupings would discuss their perspectives during the late afternoon session before releasing a unified public position.
Division Among Opposition Blocs
The cautious approach outlined by Barragan follows earlier statements from Victor Pinan, a deputy and official spokesman for Obras, who indicated strong support for the initiative.
Pinan previously reported that the Obras delegation agreed to join the censure motion so that Astudillo would be forced to answer politically for his administration of the security sector.
The spokesman demanded immediate, concrete measures from executive officials to curb advancing violence, arguing that Peru urgently requires structural changes to overcome its ongoing security crisis.
Pinan stated that citizens were demanding safety, clear answers and concrete results from leadership, adding that lawmakers could not stand by indifferently while violent crime continued to claim lives.
Ahora Nacion Rejects Censure
Despite the push from some opposition figures, the parliamentary group Ahora Nacion has decided against supporting the motion to remove the minister.
Deputy Jose Marcelo announced on Tuesday that Ahora Nacion members voted by majority within their bloc not to back the censure attempt against Astudillo.
The position of Ahora Nacion had remained unclear until September 29, when Marcelo confirmed the majority decision during media remarks.
Marcelo noted, however, that individual members of the bloc might still vote in favor of censure, indicating potential dissenting votes when the measure reaches the floor.
Parliamentary Procedure and Background
In Peru, the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for national public safety, crime prevention and oversight of the national police. Security ministers in Peru frequently face intense parliamentary scrutiny during spikes in violent crime.
Under Peruvian constitutional law, Congress possesses the power to censure cabinet ministers through a formal vote of no confidence. If a censure motion passes, the minister is legally required to resign from office.
The impending vote comes amidst heightened public concern over violence targeting journalists and citizens, making internal security one of the most contentious issues in Peruvian politics.
