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1 1 (April 4, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/goveldz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Peru: Country Overview and U.S. Relations Since 2001, Peru has emerged from a period of domestic terrorism, authoritarian rule, and erratic economic performance to one of improved citizen security, democratic-though often unstable-governments, and sustained market-oriented economic growth. The United States has worked closely with Peru to stem narcotics- related transnational crime, promote bilateral trade and sustainable livelihoods for Peruvians, and advance shared democratic values. Members of Congress may be interested in considering U.S. options to strengthen democratic institutions and address rising poverty and food insecurity. Pohiti Stuation Peru's 1993 constitution, written under the authoritarian government of President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), established a representative form of government with independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches and strong protections for individual rights. The constitution maintains a centralized state structure, which historically has contributed to the concentration of political and economic power in the coastal capital of Lima and has fueled resentment among the country's interior and Andean populations. These groups assert they are excluded from decisionmaking with respect to how the wealth generated by the country's vibrant, export-led economy is distributed. In recent years, Peruvian politics have been characterized by ideologically charged debates over the distribution of proceeds from the lucrative mining sector, representation of rural and Indigenous communities in national politics, and the legacy of the authoritarian Fujimori years. Widespread corruption and inadequate public services have diminished public trust in Peru's political leadership. The 130-member unicameral congress is highly fragmented, and political party affiliations are fluid, complicating Peruvian presidents' efforts to build governing coalitions. The constitution's low bar to impeachment and removal by congress has further weakened the presidency, leading to the impeachment or forced resignation of four of six presidents since 2018. CastiIo Administration and Impeachment General elections in April 2021 brought to office President Pedro Castillo, a little-known teacher and union leader from Peru's north, and a new congress with representatives from 10 parties. Castillo had been one of 18 presidential candidates competing in the 2021 elections. He won a runoff in June 2021, leading the far-left Perd Libre (Free Peru) party to a narrow victory over Keiko Fujimori (daughter of former President Fujimori) of the far-right Fuerza Popular party. Castillo drew support mainly from Peru's rural areas, including the Andean south, where lower-income and Indigenous voters responded to his campaign pledges to alleviate poverty and identified with his campesino (rural peasant) background. President Castillo took office amid a fragile recovery from the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. By mid-2021, Peru had experienced the world's highest COVID-19 mortality rate, a ranking it maintained at the end of March 2023 with over 650 deaths per 100,000 population, according to Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center. Castillo's government also faced political headwinds, including allegations by the far- right parties in congress that his election had been fraudulent. Castillo's first Cabinet, dominated by far-left Perd Libre members, collapsed after three months amid political uncertainty and nationalization threats that rattled markets and sharply devalued Peru's currency (the Sol). Subsequent Cabinets included more moderate ministers from other parties of the Peruvian left, as well as independent members. Nevertheless, critics derided Castillo's repeated Cabinet reshuffling-a minister was replaced every six days, on average-and his appointment of controversial political figures, including some under investigation for corruption. In December 2021, Peru's congress launched the first of three impeachment attempts against Castillo on the grounds of moral incapacity. During 2022, Peruvian farmers and poorer households were hit by soaring prices for fuel, fertilizer, and other imported commodities whose supply was disrupted due to spillover effects from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In late March, large anti-government protests erupted in Lima as many Peruvians blamed their economic hardship on the president. Opposition members of congress attempted a second, failed, impeachment, again alleging that Castillo had engaged in corruption and was morally unfit to govern. On December 7, 2022, facing a third impeachment vote, which he was widely expected to survive, Castillo attempted a so- April 4, 2023

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