MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian President denied permission to attend United Nations GA

Most parliamentarians agreed that the head of state should remain in the country to oversee the fight against widespread forest fires

Peru's one-house Congress on Tuesday voted against allowing President Dina Boluarte to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, with 55 votes to 50 and 5 abstentions. Boluarte intended to be in the United States between Sept. 22 and 25 while remaining in charge of the South American country remotely.

 However, lawmakers found that the forest fires that have already caused 15 deaths and keep devastating large parts of the country required the head of state's on-site presence.

Voting against Booluarte's trip were the left-wing party Peru Libre, the Socialists, the Popular Democratic Bloc as well as the ultra-conservative Renovación Popular in addition to most non-aligned parliamentarians. On the other side, supporting the presidential mission were the pro-Fujimori Fuerza Popular and Alianza para el Progreso; as well as part of the right-wing Avanza País, Acción Popular and Honor y Democracia.

Boluarte should be traveling instead to Ucayali, Ayacucho, or Tumbes to “know the real situation that the country is going through,” Congressman Francis Paredes from the right-wing Podemos Peru party argued when abstaining.

“Peru does not need President Boluarte in New York. We need her in Amazonas, San Martin, Ancash, Cusco, and other regions severely affected by forest fires. For that reason, I voted against her attending the United Nations General Assembly. It is really regrettable that, instead of being consistent with the country and canceling her presence, it is Congress who makes this decision,” Congresswoman Flor Pablo noted on X.

Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer was to defend Boluarte's request before Congress but Speaker Eduardo Salhuana asked him not to as a sign of mourning for the death of Congressman Hitler Saavedra, who was found dead Tuesday in a hotel room in Cuzco.

Nevertheless, Salhuana announced that a motion filed by Congressman Alex Paredes of Bloque Magisterial to reconsider Tuesday's decision is to be voted on Wednesday.