Peru Senate committee approves expanded executive powers amid opposition boycott

The Senate Constitution Committee resumed its debate on the executive's request for special legislative powers on Monday, October 18. The session focused on citizen security and the El Niño phenomenon.

The committee approved a report containing 27 measures, including seven additional points added by the Senate. These include classifying criminal organizations as "hostile groups" and restoring operational capacity to the National Intelligence Directorate (DINI).

“We are not opposition, we are solution.”

The executive originally requested powers for 66 points over 120 days. The Chamber of Deputies had previously approved only 20 points for a 90-day period.

The vote took place with only seven senators present, mostly from Fuerza Popular, Renovación Popular, and Obras. Left-wing senators from Juntos por el Perú and Ahora Nación boycotted the session, leaving the room and denying a quorum for broader debate.

Opposition legislators accused the conservative bloc of seeking to bypass congressional oversight and protect the interests of the dominant political bloc. Senator Roger Astucuri helped complete the minimum number of members required for the vote.