WorldMozaic - The Cabinet of Peru is Forced to Resign
Peru's President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Cabinet was forced to resign on Friday after failing a vote of confidence in an opposition-ridden Congress.
The unicameral legislature is dominated by Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force Party, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori who is currently in jail for human rights abuses and corruption.
Under the law, after Congress declares a vote of no confidence, the cabinet must be renewed, and the new candidate Kuczynski must obtain legislative approval.
However, if his candidate is rejected, Kuczynski can dissolve Congress and call for new legislative elections.
Both Kuczynski and the legislators were elected to office until 2021.
The confidence vote, demanded by Prime Minister Fernando Zavala, was rejected on Thursday around midnight with 77 to 22 votes, with 16 abstentions.
"Consequently, the crisis is completely in the cabinet," said Congress president Fujimori loyalist Luis Galarreta, as quoted by AFP news agency.
Kuczynski earlier canceled a visit to New York, where he was scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly, and to the Vatican, until after the vote of confidence.
In his first year as president, Kuczynski has lost three cabinet ministers in a dispute with Congress.
The political crisis was triggered by a no-confidence motion prepared by 'Fujimoristas' in Congress against education ministers regarding the handling of prolonged teacher demonstrations.
Kuczynski said the motion was aimed at undermining educational reforms that were central to the government's plans.
Keiko Fujimori, Kuczynski's fierce critic, narrowly lost in the 2011 and 2016 presidential elections.
He underwent examinations for alleged involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal that tarnished politicians throughout Latin America.
Peru's President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Cabinet was forced to resign on Friday after failing a vote of confidence in an opposition-ridden Congress.
The unicameral legislature is dominated by Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force Party, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori who is currently in jail for human rights abuses and corruption.
Under the law, after Congress declares a vote of no confidence, the cabinet must be renewed, and the new candidate Kuczynski must obtain legislative approval.
However, if his candidate is rejected, Kuczynski can dissolve Congress and call for new legislative elections.
Both Kuczynski and the legislators were elected to office until 2021.
The confidence vote, demanded by Prime Minister Fernando Zavala, was rejected on Thursday around midnight with 77 to 22 votes, with 16 abstentions.
"Consequently, the crisis is completely in the cabinet," said Congress president Fujimori loyalist Luis Galarreta, as quoted by AFP news agency.
Kuczynski earlier canceled a visit to New York, where he was scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly, and to the Vatican, until after the vote of confidence.
In his first year as president, Kuczynski has lost three cabinet ministers in a dispute with Congress.
The political crisis was triggered by a no-confidence motion prepared by 'Fujimoristas' in Congress against education ministers regarding the handling of prolonged teacher demonstrations.
Kuczynski said the motion was aimed at undermining educational reforms that were central to the government's plans.
Keiko Fujimori, Kuczynski's fierce critic, narrowly lost in the 2011 and 2016 presidential elections.
He underwent examinations for alleged involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal that tarnished politicians throughout Latin America.