Congress versus the presidencyExperts like Tuesta argue that the last decade of political instability has all but rendered Peru’s executive branch a secondary power.By contrast, its unicameral Congress has expanded its might, though its members are largely unpopular among Peruvians.Part of its influence comes from its impeachment powers. Peru’s Congress can remove presidents for “moral incapacity”, a catch-all term that has been used to denounce anything from undisclosed meetings to security crises.Paulo Vilca, a researcher at the Institute of Peruvian Studies, explained that the shifting power dynamics have made it difficult for presidents to remain in office.”In the past, we used to elect presidents for five years. Now, what’s more likely is that they will not last five years,” said Vilca.But Peru’s unicameral Congress will come to an end this year. On Sunday, Peruvians will vote for a second congressional chamber, a Senate, for the first time since 1990.Vilca argues that the congressional election may be even more important than this year’s presidential race. But it will also likely deepen Peru’s ongoing political crisis, he added.He predicts that Congress’s chambers will soon be in conflict with each other, as well as with the president, in a three-way battle for power.”It is very likely that those who are elected deputies, for example, will not be very satis …
