Congress's Battle With Gov't Risks Political Instability

A scandal involving Labor Minister Iber Maravi risks a major escalation in political tensions in Peru as the opposition-controlled Congress seeks to oust Maravi, while the gov't risks a confidence vote that could result in the dissolution of the legislature to keep him in office.

• Minister of Labor and Employment Protection Maravi faces questions from congressmen later today regarding his links to the far-left SUTEP-CONARE teachers union and through SUTEP any relations he may have had with the MOVADEF organisation - one of the successors to the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Shining Path guerilla group that terrorist Peru in the 1980s and 1990s. Congress will also question Maravi about his alleged participation in terrorist activities and his relationship with terrorist Hildebrando Pérez Huaranca.
• Prime Minister Guido Bellido from President Pedro Castillo's far-left Free Peru (PL, Peru Libre) party has stated that he will accompany Maravi to Congress for today's hearing and will submit a confidence vote in the gov't to parliament if Congress tries to oust Maravi.
• Under the Peruvian constitution, should Congress twice reject a call for a confidence vote the president has the power to dissolve Congress, sparking snap legislative elections.
• At present Castillo's PL and its allies do not hold a parliamentary majority, allowing opposition parties to restrict the gov'ts ability to enact legislation. A snap election could see the PL and its allies win a majority.