Countries in the Americas call for respect for democracy and the rule of law in Peru

Several representatives of countries in the Americas have expressed their concerns over the situation in Peru this Wednesday (7), calling for democracy to be respected after President Pedro Castillo’s attempt to disperse powers and subsequent impeachment by Congress.

The left-wing president, who came to power 16 months ago, announced the dissolution of the right-wing legislature, hours before congressmen met to discuss impeachment.

Congress ignored Castillo’s decision and impeached him for “moral incompetence” and was sworn in to Vice President Dina Boluarte.

In the midst of the events that took place in a matter of hours, the governments of many Latin American countries, including Brazil and the USA, demanded respect for the institutional framework and called on the different political actors of the “brother” country to dialogue. .

Check out some reactions:

Brazil

The Brazilian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, criticized Castillo’s decision to dissolve the Peruvian Congress.

“Measures incompatible with the constitutional normative framework of that country by President Pedro Castillo on December 7 represent a violation of the validity of democracy and the rule of law,” Itamaraty said in a note.

At the same time, Brazil “expresses its willingness to continue to maintain solid relations of friendship and cooperation that unite the two countries, and wishes President Dina Boluarte success in her tenure as President of Peru.”

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will assume the presidency on January 1, 2023, said on his official website that he “followed with great concern the events that led to the constitutional removal of the Peruvian president.”

“It is always sad that a democratically elected president has this fate, but I understand that everything was communicated within the constitutional framework,” said Lula.

“I hope President Dina Boluarte succeeds in her task of reconciling the country and leading it towards development and social peace.” The friendship between Brazil and Peru is essential”.

United States of America

Washington categorically rejected any attempt to “undermine democracy” and assured that Peruvian congressmen would take “corrective measures” according to democratic rules, stating that it no longer saw Castillo as Peru’s president.

“As far as I understand, given the decision of Congress, he is now ex-President Castillo,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

“We categorically reject any unconstitutional (…) action that undermines democracy in this country,” he said.

Moments ago, the US ambassador to Peru, Lisa Kenna, took to Twitter to report that the Joe Biden government had urged Castillo to “undo” the dissolution of Congress.

Mexican

The government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called for “democracy and respect for human rights” in Peru, following the worsening political crisis in the country.

“Mexico regrets the recent events in Peru and wants to respect democracy and human rights for the sake of this dear brother people,” Chancellor Marcelo Ebrard said on Twitter.

The crisis also led to the suspension of the Mexican Pacific Alliance summit in Lima, where Peru would assume the interim presidency of the organization from Mexico.

López Obrador became one of Castillo’s most staunch defenders, even saying he would be the victim of an attempted coup.

Colombia

Gustavo Petro’s government, Colombia’s first left-wing president, has called for dialogue “to protect democracy” with the participation of “all political actors”.

“Colombia condemns any attack on democracy, wherever it comes from, and reminds that democracy requires recognition of the will of the people expressed in both presidential and Congressional elections,” the State Department said in a note.

Spain

The government of Spanish left-wing Pedro Sánchez praised the “re-establishment of democratic normality” in Peru following Castillo’s overthrow and said it “strongly condemned the disruption of the constitutional order”.

“Spain will always stand for democracy and the defense of constitutional legitimacy,” the Spanish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Ecuador

Neighboring Peru, Ecuador, has expressed “deep concern” at what is happening in Ecuador, calling for democracy and the preservation of the rule of law, according to a statement from the Prime Ministry on Twitter.

“Ecuador expresses deep concern about the political situation in Peru’s sister country. We call on all political actors to support the rule of law and democracy, and the international community to facilitate Peru’s democratic process.”

Bolivia

Bolivian President Luis Arce condemned the involvement of “anti-democratic elites” in the impeachment of Peru’s president, a country neighboring Bolivia, like López Obrador.

“From the beginning, the Peruvian right has sought to overthrow a popularly elected government by humble classes seeking greater inclusion and social justice (…) constant harassment against progressive, popular, and legitimately anti-democratic elites,” Arce wrote on Twitter. governments should be condemned by all,” he wrote.

The Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously called for respect for “democratic principles, the constitutional order and the rule of law”.

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales, who ruled from 2006 to 2019, called for “respect” to the Constitution and “the highest interests of the people”.

“We are deeply concerned about the political crisis affecting the fraternal Republic of Peru. We demand respect for security, the right to life and peaceful and democratic coexistence. We want the Constitution and the supreme interests of the Peruvian people to be respected above all else.” tweeted Morales.

Chile

Bordering Peru to the north, Chile has asked its neighbor to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms amid the political crisis that it hopes can be “solved through democratic mechanisms and respect for the rule of law”.

Leftist Gabriel Boric’s government said in a note that “reaffirms its commitment to democracy and dialogue as the way to tackle this complex moment”.

Argentina

Alberto Fernández’s government expressed “deep concern” and demanded that institutions be preserved amid the crisis in Peru.

“Argentina expresses its deep concern at the political crisis that the brotherly Republic of Peru is going through and calls on all political and social actors to protect democratic institutions, the rule of law and the constitutional order,” the Argentine wrote on his Twitter account. Premiership.

Uruguay

The Uruguayan government condemned “any attempt to disrupt the constitutional order” in Peru, and also predicted that the capture of Boluarte would “lead to a guarantee of political stability and the maintenance of the rule of law”. Foreign affairs.

Honduras

The Honduran government called for respect for Castillo’s integrity and rights, while condemning the “coup” in Peru, which was the product of “a series of events to erode democracy.”