Peruvian president deposed indictment after turbulent power struggle

France Press agency

NOS News

Pedro Castillo, the deposed president of Peru, was arrested for “rebellion”. Ultimately, a fierce power struggle between Parliament and the President was settled in favor of the former. Parliament appointed the vice president as president, replacing Castillo. Dina Boulwart, a lawyer, is the country’s first female president.

Castillo, a former teacher and trade union leader who came to power a year and a half ago on a promise to help the poor, tried to paralyze parliament earlier in the day. This parliament wanted to initiate impeachment proceedings against Castillo for corruption.

Castillo was plagued by scandal during his relatively short tenure. Dozens of ministers are exhausted. He is now under investigation on six different charges, mostly corruption. Castillo dismisses the allegations, saying that the corrupt are trying to draw him into their trap.

Castillo appears to have miscalculated completely in his attempt to sideline parliament. With a generous majority of 101 to 6 (and 10 abstentions), Parliament accused him of his “permanent moral incompetence”. Even all of his ministers turned against Castillo, and eventually the military also brought him down in a manifesto.

Then the deposed president left the presidential palace and entered the police station. Hours later, federal prosecutors announced that Castillo had been arrested for unconstitutional acts. “No authority can place itself above the constitution,” a statement read. Some skirmishes took place between Castillo’s supporters and police officers near the police station.

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