Maricarmen Alva

President of Congress

In the 2021 general elections, Alva was elected congresswoman of the republic for Acción Popular, with 25,219 votes, for the 2021-2026 parliamentary term.^[9] On July 26, 2021, Alva was elected president of the Congress of the Republic for the 2021-2022 legislative period.^[10] As a congresswoman, she defended bills perceived as unfavourable to workers, including the extension of the workday, provisions facilitating layoffs, or the rejection of social security projects.^[11] She fought against President Pedro Castillo, seeking his impeachment^[11] and received a constitutional complaint by Minister of Labor Betssy Chávez, who accused her of leading a criminal organization engaged in alleged attempts to overthrow his government.^[12] El Búho wrote "her expressions and behavior have often been considered racist, petulant and even violent" and noted that Alva stated that every member of congress should "get preferential treatment."^[13]

During her tenure, Congress faced corruption investigations for purchasing 350 new computers at twice their market value, costing millions of soles.^[14] Alva said that her office was not involved with the purchase of the computers.^[14]

Post-presidency

Alva verbally and physically attacked Congresswoman Isabel Cortez of Together for Peru during a session in parliament on 11 August 2022.^[15] Cortez, a former city cleaner of indigenous descent, had moved from her seat during a discussion among some parliamentarians following statements made by Norma Yarrow of the far-right Renovación Popular party (an ally of Alva's party, Acción Popular) accusing the Castillo government of "selling itself for a plate of lentils", which caused an outcry and uproar among parliamentarians. Cortez approached the seat where Alva's colleague Wilson Soto was sitting, with several congressmen also around him.^[15] When she came face to face with Alva, after a dialogue, the latter violently pulled and squeezed Cortez's arm and threatened her. They were gently separated from each other by the timely intervention of Congressman Ernesto Bustamante, who had crossed to their side of the parliament floor to prevent further interaction. After receiving strong condemnation for the incident, Alva had to apologise for her "inappropriate reaction", while the Cambio Democrático (Juntos por el Perú) party called for her to be sanctioned.^[15] On the same day, it was also revealed that Alva had racistly insulted Congressman Ilich López by calling him a "fucking Indian".^[13] The insult was due to Alva's failure to be elected President of Foreign Relations.^[13] In addition, López stated that Alva "[said] that he was going to destroy us and our families, that we were going to shed tears of blood", in reference to a group of parliamentarians from the Popular Action party who were meeting secretly with President Castillo.^[13][16] López also revealed that Alva was very upset at the meeting that took place for the vote, banging on the door of the room and swearing.^[16]

Following the removal of Pedro Castillo from the presidency, Alva defended his successor Dina Boluarte following her crackdown on widespread protests, saying in March 2023 that groups were attempting to impede Boluarte from her functions and criticized those who sought Boluarte's removal from office through vacancy due to moral incapacity, stating "massacres do not warrant a vacancy."^[17][18] Infobae noted that Alva's comment occurred after over a dozen people were killed in a single day in the Juliaca massacre.^[18] Alva later defended her statement that "massacres do not warrant a vacancy",^[19] criticized the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights report on violence against protesters and said that the report was untruthful, defending the response by authorities while saying demonstrators were engaged in "terrorist acts."^[20]

On 9 June 2023, Alva again was involved in an altercation in which she was seen physically shaking Congresswoman Francis Paredes, from the Podemos Perú group and representative for Ucayali, in order to change her vote in favor of the return to bicameralism in the Congress of the Republic.^[13]

Alva was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru by congress on 14 June 2023.^[13] A portrait of Alva painted by César Yaury Huanay was also commissioned at a cost of 9,000 soles.^[13]

In July 2023, audio leaked of Popular Action congressman Jorge Luis Flores Ancachi stating that he demanded his staff to provided 10% of their regular pay and 50% of their bonus pay to him, saying that this was known by Alva and that she allegedly said that congressional staff were "ungrateful."^[21][22][23] Following the leak, Alva called for the removal of Flores from his position, saying "the aforementioned congressman spoke about me, defaming me and accusing me of having insinuated that he appropriates salaries."^[21][23] Flores maintained his position in congress, leaving Popular Action to join Podemos Perú and later joining César Acuña's Alliance for Progress.^[24]

On 18 February 2026, following the censure and removal of President José Jerí, Maricarmen was nominated by Popular Action for President of Congress and for the interim presidency of Peru,^[25] receiving support from Fujimorists of Popular Force.^[26] However in the final ballot, she lost to José María Balcázar of Free Peru.^[27]