MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru's President vows to push forward with Second Agrarian Reform

Castillo plays his last chips before Congress decides whether or not to impeach him next week

Peru's President Pedro Castillo Terrones Sunday announced his Government's upcoming actions will be aimed at strengthening the Second Agrarian Reform, because, after all, “our lands give us all the food and our brother farmers deserve to be supported in a comprehensive and rapid manner.”

“We have declared an emergency in the agrarian sector so that, through [the Agriculture Ministry] @midagriperu, we will promote various actions to strengthen the Second Agrarian Reform. Our lands give us all the food and our brother farmers deserve to be supported in a comprehensive and prompt manner,” Castillo went on through his Twitter account.

The emergency declaration is to be in force for 120 days, during which the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) will present an agrarian emergency plan. Castillo had already announced his intention to declare an agricultural emergency during his March 15 appearance before Congress.

Streets demonstrations marked this past weekend in Lima. Those in favor of Castillo's impeachment marched Sunday, while those objecting to the Constitutional Court's decision to reinstate a pardon favoring former President Alberto Fujimori did it Saturday.

Most anti-Castillo protesters wore red and white clothes and waved the Peruvian flag with banners reading “Great march for the vacancy.” According to local press reports, the groups stemmed from Keiko Fujimori's (Alberto's daughter) Fuerza Popular and also from the Partido Aprista Peruano.

Last Monday (March 14) a Congressional plenum had admitted “motion to vacate” against Castillo was to be debated March 28, for the President's alleged involvement in corruption.

Meanwhile, another march was staged through downtown Lima Saturday against the Constitutional Court (TC) ruling which will result in Alberto Fujimori's release from jail, despite being sentenced to 25 years for crimes against humanity. The “National March against the pardon” featured relatives of the victims of the massacres of which Fujimori was found accountable after 25 people were killed in the Barrios Altos (1991) and La Cantuta (1992).

Fujimori's lawyer César Nakazaki insisted the pardon had nothing to do with impunity and that it was a humanitarian measure given the former head of state's age and deteriorating health.

He stressed Fujimori was on oxygen support.