Weekly Report - 03 November 2022 (WR-22-44)

With the threat of a constitutional complaint by the attorney general’s office hanging over President Pedro Castillo, he could ill-afford another scandal at the heart of his administration. It did not take long for allegations of malpractice to topple another cabinet minister, however. Health Minister Jorge López Peña was replaced on 28 October, two days after the attorney general’s office announced that he was under investigation for suspected illicit enrichment. The danger for Castillo is that, if the constitutional complaint advances to a congressional vote, the relentless flow of corruption allegations surrounding his government will persuade his more lukewarm backers in congress to turn on him.