Peru’s Congress on Thursday voted down another proposal to advance elections to this year, a day after a similar proposal aimed at quelling deadly nationwide unrest also failed. In addition to moving elections up from April 2024 to July 2023, the proposal rejected Thursday included the calling of a referendum on forming a constitutional convention — another key demand of protesters. The proposal by the Free Peru party was rejected with 75 votes against and only 48 in favor, with one abstention. The vote Wednesday on a proposal to advance elections to October 2023, without the constitutional convention referendum, had been backed by President Dina Boluarte. The president’s office said on Twitter it regretted the vote Wednesday and vowed to immediately present another bill to hold general elections this year. Peru has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily demonstrations since December 7, when then-president Pedro Castillo was arrested after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree.