Peruvian legislators choose a new legislative leader from the opposition party

• Jose Williams has been a vocal critic of President Pedro Castillo’s administration.
• He is a member of the conservative Avanza Pais party, which is led by former presidential candidate and economist Hernando de Soto.

Peruvian lawmakers elected a new head of Congress from an opposition party on Monday, after his predecessor was ousted over allegations of influence peddling and amid tensions with left-wing President Pedro Castillo.

Former Peruvian military chief Jose Williams has been a vocal critic of Castillo’s administration. He is a member of the conservative Avanza Pais party, which is led by former presidential candidate and economist Hernando de Soto.

Lady Camones was replaced by Williams after lawmakers voted to remove her following pressure from Castillo over leaked audios of her discussing how to use her position to benefit her party.

His election is unlikely to alter the political landscape in the world’s second-largest copper producer, which remains highly polarised in the face of mounting corruption allegations against Castillo and close allies.

Castillo has been impeached twice but not removed from office since he took office in July of last year.

Williams has previously voted in favour of Castillo’s impeachment. While the opposition is publicly organising a third impeachment attempt, it has admitted that it currently lacks the votes to succeed.

Impeachment proceedings are not uncommon in Peru. Since 2016, Congress has held six impeachment trials, with the goal of deposing former President Martin Vizcarra in 2020. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, another former president, resigned in 2018 just minutes before an impeachment vote that he was expected to lose.

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