New elections bid rejected by Peru Congress despite ongoing protests

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Peru's Congress voted down another proposal to hold early elections this year on Thursday, just one day after a similar measure aimed at quelling violent countrywide unrest failed.

Aside from delaying elections from April 2024 to July 2023, the proposal rejected on Thursday included a referendum on creating a constitutional convention, which was another prominent demand of protesters.

The proposal by the Free Peru party was rejected with 75 votes against it and only 48 in favor, with one abstention.

Embattled President Dina Boluarte backed the vote on a plan to move elections to October 2023 without a constitutional convention referendum.

The President's administration apologized on Twitter for the vote on Wednesday and promised to introduce another bill to have general elections this year as soon as possible.

Since December 7, then-President Pedro Castillo was removed by what some have called a coup attempt, and ever since, Peru has been mired in a political crisis with near-daily rallies.

It is worth noting that up to 54 individuals have been killed in skirmishes between security forces and protesters over the course of seven weeks, as per the human rights ombudsman's office.

Protesters in Lima's capital demanded the dissolution of Congress, a new constitution, and the resignation of Boluarte, who took over as president after Castillo was ousted.

Jaime Quito, the leftist sponsor of the bill that failed Thursday, said after the vote that "Congress must close."

"What will happen is that Dina Boluarte will have to resign," he added.