Castillo wanted to dissolve Congress
Peru’s parliament votes to impeach President Castillo
In Peru, the power struggle between the parliament and President Pedro Castillo has escalated. Congress impeached Castillo on Wednesday after he announced the dissolution of Parliament.
1/7
Peru’s President Pedro Castillo announced in a speech that he would dissolve parliament.
Pedro Castillo wanted to dissolve parliament and set up an emergency government. Peru’s president said so in a speech on Wednesday. He also announced a new election for Congress. The parliamentarians are then supposed to draft a new constitution within nine months.
But Congress would not allow it. The parliamentarians, for their part, voted to remove the head of state. 101 members of Congress voted in favor of the motion of no confidence, 6 against and 10 abstained. In this case, the constitution provides for Vice President Dina Boluarte to take over the duties. Since taking office a year and a half ago, Castillo has survived two impeachment trials. Several investigations are underway against him, including for influencing promotions in the military and the police and for obstructing the judiciary.
Vice speaks of “coup d’etat”
Shortly before the vote, Castillo had imposed a nighttime curfew and said he wanted to temporarily rule by decree. “Congress has destroyed the rule of law, democracy and the balance between state powers,” Castillo said. Deputy Minister Boluarte, numerous ministers and the opposition condemned the dissolution of the congress as a coup d’état.
“I oppose Pedro Castillo’s decision to dissolve the Congress to bring about the collapse of the constitutional order. This is a coup that aggravates the political and institutional crisis that Peruvian society must overcome in strict compliance with the law,” Boluarte wrote on Twitter.
The opposition also spoke of a coup d’etat. “He can’t do what he just did. That’s illegal,” said Martha Moyano, MP from the right-wing party Fuerza Popular on radio station RPP. Her party friend Héctor Ventura said: “Today, the armed forces must respect the democratic order.” MP and former admiral José Cueto wrote on Twitter: “What Pedro Castillo has done is a coup d’etat. The armed forces will support the constitution and not the dictator.”
Ministers resign
Numerous ministers resigned after Castillo’s announcement. “Because the rule of law has been violated and in accordance with my democratic principles, I hereby submit my irrevocable resignation as Minister of Economy and Finance,” wrote Finance Minister Kurt Burneo on Twitter. Foreign Minister César Landa and Justice Minister Felix Chero also made their positions available. Attorney General Patricia Benavides said: “We strongly reject the breach of the constitutional order.”
The government of left-wing politician Castillo found itself in a permanent power struggle with parliament. Most recently, Congress refused the head of state permission to travel to the Pacific Alliance summit in Mexico, and thus canceled the meeting. Two of Castillo’s predecessors had been removed from office in similar proceedings. (SDA)