Lima, June 23, 2006.- Andean Community Secretary General, Ambassador Allan Wagner Tizón, today called upon Peru’s new representatives to the Andean Parliament to play an active role in the integration process through initiatives to strengthen citizen participation and thereby reinforce the Andean bloc.  

He voiced the appeal during the public ceremony at the Andean Community headquarters attended by civil officials, ambassadors, political leaders, academics and other eminent persons, at which the National Electoral Board turned over their credentials to Peru’s newly elected representatives to the Andean Parliament.

Wagner pointed out that the direct election of Andean Parliament members in Peru will bring the Peruvian people into closer proximity with the integration project and reinforce a necessary process of Community identification on the long road to creating an Andean citizenry. 

He went on to report that the Colombian Congress had already enacted a law providing for the direct election of its members to the Andean Parliament, thereby further strengthening both this body and the citizens’ participation in the Andean Integration System.    

He expressed his trust that the soon-to-be-held Constitutional Convention in Bolivia will also take the necessary steps to ensure the direct election of the Bolivian members to the Andean Parliament  

The CAN Secretary General concluded by emphasizing the effort made by Peru’s National Electoral Board to inform the country’s citizens about the significance of the election of the Andean Parliament members and the contribution made by Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes, the Andean Parliament and the Peruvian representatives to that body, particularly the Vice-President of Peru, Congressman Luis Alva Castro.

Enrique Mendoza, Chairman of Peru’s National Electoral Board, stressed in his statement that this election in Peru reinforces the subregion’s democratic forums. 

"The challenge facing the new members of Parliament today should be to build up this Andean bloc and to show sufficient flexibility to adjust to the changes imposed by globalization and to work to make this body a binding organ.”

The following Peruvian citizens received their credentials as new members of the Andean Parliament: Rafael Rey (Unidad Nacional); Juan Mariátegui and Elsa Malpartida (Unión por el Perú); Wilbert Bendezú and Rosa León (Partido Aprista Peruano). Two alternates for each elected member of Parliament were also given credentials.