PERU: President Pedro Castillo's initiative to convene a referendum on changing the constitution, which he promised during his campaign to enhance the state's role in the economy, was rejected by Peru's Congress on Friday.

A legislative panel rejected the plan, which would have called for a constitutional assembly to redraft Peru's 1993 Constitution, with 11 votes against and six votes in support. Opponents of the initiative stated that Peru's current constitution provides stability, which has aided the country's robust economic progress over the last two decades.

Since taking office last July, Castillo, a communist former teacher and union leader, has presided over unparalleled political volatility, cycling through four governments and surviving two impeachment attempts. continue reading
Only 7% of Peruvians believed that setting up a constituent assembly should be the government's top priority, according to an Ipsos Peru poll released in late April. Instead, 43% of those polled feel the government's top priority should be to combat crime, while 42% believe it should be to combat corruption.

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