PM NARROWLY AVOIDS CENSURE; VARIED PROTESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000935

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SOCI PE
SUBJECT: PM NARROWLY AVOIDS CENSURE; VARIED PROTESTS
CONTINUE

REF: LIMA 918 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Amb. P Michael McKinley for reasons 1.4b and d.


1. (C) Summary: Congress's censure motion against PM Simon
and Interior Minister Cabanillas fell short of the 61 votes
required to remove them from office. Simon earlier announced
he would step down in the coming weeks, while reports
indicate that Garcia may soon reshuffle his Cabinet while
keeping Simon as PM. Meanwhile, protesters in Sicuani, Cuzco
announced they had resumed their indefinite strike, ending a
72-hour truce. The Sicuani protests were overshadowed by
unrelated 24-hour public transit strikes in Lima and various
other cities. End Summary.


Simon, Cabanillas Survive Censure Vote
--------------

2. (C) As predicted (refs),proponents of the censure
motions against Prime Minister Yehude Simon and Interior
Minister Mercedes Cabanillas fell short of the 61 votes
required for their removal from office. Members of Congress
from nearly all blocs voted in favor of censure but reached
only 56 votes, with the ruling party APRA voting against
censure and the left of center Union for Peru (UPP) bloc
abstaining. (Note: Rumors are circulating that the UPP
agreed to abstain after reaching an agreement with the ruling
APRA party that would place at least one of their members in
the Cabinet, after an expected reshuffle, or in Congress's
central leadership committee. End Note.)


3. (C) The near miss vote probably fell short in part thanks
to the absence of seven PNP who were suspended for 120 days
earlier in the month. Regardless, there are reports Garcia
may soon reshuffle his Cabinet, and he has said that he
intends for Simon to remain as Prime Minister. Simon had
earlier stated he would step down after protests calmed down,
but more recently proposed that a new Cabinet include members
of the opposition. For its part, Congress's extraordinary
session is scheduled to end July 3, when summer recess
formally begins and legislators initiate formal negotiations
on Congress's next President and central leadership
committee, or "mesa directiva," to be elected at the end of
July.

Protests Continue Elsewhere in the Country
--------------

4. (C) Protesters in Sicuani, Cuzco announced they had
resumed their indefinite strike, ending a 72-hour truce
during which protest organizers discussed (and rejected) PM
Simon's proposed solutions to their demands to stop mining
concessions, a hydroelectric power project, and a water law.
The media are also reporting villagers from Chumbivilca,
Cuzco, joining in on the strike with plans to march into
Cuzco city and then to Lima. According to contacts in Cuzco,
business continued as usual in the region, despite a
roadblock in Sicuani and the possibility of thousands of
protesters marching into the city.


5. (U) Meantime, unrelated nation-wide 24-hour public transit
strikes in Lima, Puno, Junin, Ayacucho, and Cuzco took place
June 30. Public transit workers are protesting the planned
late July implementation of new laws that seek to impose
order on Peru's traffic chaos and could bring steep fines for
traffic violations. Taxis and buses were scarce in Lima, and
organizers claimed 60,000 vehicles took part. Protesters
blocked streets, broke windows and slashed tires of vehicles
that did not participate in the strike, and convened in front
of the Congress building before being dispersed with teargas
by the police. Over 100 protesters were arrested for
vandalism and inciting violence. Outside Lima, transit
protests were generally small, with scattered roadblocks.
MCKINLEY