A survey carried out by private company Ipsos, has found that only 22% of citizens object to changing Peru’s neoliberal Constitution, meanwhile 71% are in favour of changing it completely (32%) or partially (39%).
Nevertheless, the company that conducted the poll did not directly ask whether the citizens wanted a constituent assembly supported by the virtual president-elect, Pedro Castillo. What it does is insert the option to partially reform it.
In the responses, 32% favoured Castillo’s initiative, 39% believe that there should be a partial reform led by the new Parliament chosen last April and only 22% support the Constitution approved in 1992 under the heavy-handed government of Alberto Fujimori, following an internal military coup. The majority of the press is developing a campaign of fear about a modification to the Constitution that Castillo considers to be necessary to carry out the changes that the country needs, such as eliminating articles which affect national sovereignty.
The media preaching aims to preserve the neoliberal economic model established by the constitution in 1993 and which Castillo and his team consider to have run its course due to it not being able to solve the nation’s biggest problems, especially inequality and lack of economic sovereignty, among other issues.
The Ipsos survey, on the other hand, verified a strong increase in the popularity of Francisco Sagasti, the centrist president, despite strong, constant attacks by a right-wing majority which controls the Congress of the Republic.
The president’s approval is due to the stability that he maintains in the midst of political turmoil and, especially, because he was able to successfully buy vaccines and start an accelerated vaccination process, according to political analysts like Kathy Zegarra. In contrast, Congress recorded a 64% disapproval, although its defenders allege that this is above the level of citizen support to other parliaments in the final stage of their presidency, like this president. (PL)
(Translated by Donna Davison – Email: donna_davison@hotmail.com) – Photos: Pixabay
.jpg)
