With polls putting President Alejandro Toledo's popularity at 6 percent, the party wants to change the law to make it harder to impeach him.

BY LUCIEN CHAUVIN
Special to The Herald

LIMA - Facing a string of anti-government protests and labor strikes, President Alejandro Toledo's party is pushing for legislation that would make it harder to impeach him.

Health care workers are on strike for higher pay and hundreds of farmers growing coca -- the raw material used to make cocaine -- have been camped out in Lima for nearly three weeks demanding negotiations on government eradication plans.

There also have been violent protests against mining companies and roadblocks along the country's principal highway over land disputes between towns.

The trickiest problem is the turmoil in Ilave, a small southern city where after nearly three weeks of protests alleging corruption by Mayor Cirilio Robles, a mob broke into his house on April 26 and killed him.

Several groups in the town called a three-day strike earlier this week to demand the release of the men charged with killing Robles, three of whom are city council members.

Congress reacted to the violence in Ilave by forcing Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi to resign. Opposition parties rounded up 62 votes in the 120-seat legislature to remove Rospigliosi, including five votes from Toledo's own Peru Posible Party. Four other party lawmakers abstained from voting.

The censure vote against Rospigliosi emboldened the opposition to step up the calls for Toledo to resign or possibly face impeachment proceedings.

Lawmakers from the principal opposition blocs in Congress, the party known as APRA and the National Unity coalition, are now openly talking about the possibility of removing the president from office and calling elections.

Toledo's party appears to be taking the threat seriously, with its legislators recently submitting a bill that would require 80 votes to impeach a president. The current number is 61.

''This proposal is based on fear. The ruling party believes that we can round up the 61 votes needed to impeach the president,'' said APRA Congressman Mauricio Mulder.

Mulder, however, said the best thing for Peru would be for Toledo to realize that he is incapable of governing and resign. ''Impeaching the president would be a long and politically painful process. Impeachment is a possibility, but resignation would be least painful path,'' he said.

Inaugurated in July 2001 to a five-year term, Toledo has never been able to find his political footing. Multiple political gaffes have undermined his credibility with voters. A poll released Sunday by the APOYO firm showed his support sinking to 6 percent -- the lowest in his presidency.

The president's supporters in Congress say the opposition does not have the votes to impeach Toledo, and that the president has no intentions of resigning.

''This is simply a political ploy by politicians jockeying for support in their own parties,'' says Peru Posible Congressman Jacques Rodrich. ``Low polls numbers cannot be used as a reason for a president to be impeached or to resign.''

Toledo's dismal support is a political paradox here. Since taking office, Toledo has overseen one of the longest economic growth spurts -- 33 months -- in recent memory, and all macroeconomic numbers are healthy.

In addition, Peru begins negotiations for a free-trade agreement with United States on May 18.

But the potential benefits have been buried by the political crisis.