Peruvian Defense Minister interpellation motion

The Juntos por el Perú parliamentary group filed a motion of interpellation against Peru’s Minister of Defense, Rafael Belaunde Llosa. The motion seeks answers regarding potential conflicts of interest, specifically concerning economic contributions from the president of the mining company Poderosa, Evangelina Arias, which may have financed the minister’s political campaign.

Legislators are questioning the legal basis for military deployments in the Pataz province, seeking to determine if troops are being used for general citizen security or to protect specific mining facilities and concessions. Supporters of the minister, such as Deputy Roxana Rocha, have criticized the motion as “insane and irresponsible,” suggesting it is an attempt to protect informal mining interests and influence the REINFO regulatory framework.

President Keiko Fujimori has defended the minister, describing the interpellation motion as “premature” given that her administration has been in office for only two weeks. While the opposition has pledged to maintain active oversight and denied granting the government a “honeymoon” period, the administration maintains that its priority is to demonstrate results through action.

Following these developments, the Senate Defense Commission has summoned Minister Belaunde and Interior Minister César Astudillo to appear on September 7. The hearing aims to address the current state of citizen insecurity, with the commission expecting a diagnosis and future projections for both ministries.