MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian government saved from Congressional censure motion

Prime Minister Simon announced he would be “resigning” in the coming weeks.

The Peruvian Congress was unable to muster the necessary votes to censure Prime Minister Yehude Simon and Minister of Interior Mercedes Cabanillas over the recent violent clashes in the Amazonia region which left scores of dead both among policemen and the protesting indigenous communities.

The vote gave the weakened and embattled administration of President Alan Garcia and his cabinet some breathing space.

Of the 101 members of Congress present, 56 supported the censure motion against Simon (61 out of the 120 members of the one chamber legislative are needed), 32 voted against and 11 abstained. Similarly with the Minister of Interior, 55 voted for the motion, 35 against and 9 abstained, although it was not clear how the remaining two legislators voted.

However the censure motion would have prospered if the seven members from the Peruvian Nationalist Party, --under the leadership of former Army commander Ollanta Humala--, suspended since last June 11 for 120 days, had been present.

A member of the opposition Parliamentary Alliance, Victor Andres Garcia Belaunde said that it was the absence of the seven legislators which saved the day for the government, but he insisted that the cabinet of Prime Minister Simon has been “technically” censured.

During the debate Garcia Belaunde ironically argued that “56 plus 7” equals 61.

The seven members of Congress had protested in the hemicycle of the chamber in support of the indigenous communities following on the violent and tragic events of June 5th in the Peruvian Amazon, which ended with 24 policemen and at least 30 indigenous killed during the clashes.

Indians claim there are members of their communities who remain disappeared or unaccounted for.

Simon and Cabanillas were summoned on Thursday to Congress to report on the events and on the same day were faced with a motion of censure.

Over the weekend Prime Minister reiterated he will leave his post “in the coming weeks” but refused to resign until the situation returns to normal and Congress and the Judiciary are informed of all events.

The indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon last April began protesting against government decrees opening their ancestral lands to logging and mining corporations. The communities were never consulted on the legislation. President Garcia argued the resources belong to all Peruvians and it was his duty to ensure the economic development of the country to the benefit of all Peruvians.

Police forces were sent to clear blocked roads and waterways which led to the tragic clashes of the June 5th week end.

The government later repealed the decrees, apologized to the Indian communities and promised a round of talks with the different tribal chiefs.

The controversial decrees, opening lands to logging and mining, referred to clauses contained in a free trade agreement recently signed by the Garcia administration with United States. Apparently they will be re-drafted.