The current former president’s decision to dissolve Congress and form a government of exception unleashed a political storm that shook all government institutions.
Was Peru plunged into political chaos on Wednesday (07/12) after then-president Pedro Castillo’s decision to dissolve Congress and form a “government of exception”? He said it would be governed by decree-law until a new parliament with constituent powers drafts a new constitution.
The president’s announcement was immediately met with accusations that he had staged a “coup.”
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Has the President’s decision been questioned not only by the opposition, but also by other state officials? Including the Police and Armed Forces? and sparked a wave of resignations by senior officials, including several ministers and ambassadors.
Meanwhile, members of Congress put forward a scheduled session to discuss and vote on an impeachment motion, something akin to impeachment against Castillo, which ultimately resulted in his impeachment.
Castillo appeared in front of the Lima police department, where he was arrested after his statement.
“The Prosecutor General’s Office decided this afternoon to arrest Pedro Castillo Terrones for alleged violation of the constitutional order for the crime of rioting under Article 346 of the Penal Code.”
Shortly after, Peru’s former vice president, Dina Boluarte, was sworn in as the country’s first female president.
Next, we present three key points for you to understand the political chaos plaguing the country.
1. How did you get here?
Castillo assumed the presidency in July 2021. Since then, he has gone through several government crises that have forced him to change his ministers more than once.
Wednesday’s session was the third attempt by the opposition in Congress to oust him from power, declaring his resignation due to “persistent moral incompetence”.
The day before, Castillo accused the opposition of wanting to “explode democracy” and once again found him not guilty of corruption charges.
The meeting of Congress to discuss Castillo’s impeachment, scheduled before the announcement of the exceptional government, was based on the president’s ineptitude to govern, as he had appointed five cabinets and about 80 ministers in his one-and-a-half year of administration.
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In fact, in October the Public Department filed a constitutional complaint against Castillo, accusing him of leading “a criminal organization” to enrich himself with government contracts and hinder investigations.
However, shortly after Castillo announced that he had dissolved Congress and an exceptional government had been formed, at Wednesday’s session to impeach him, the most cited argument for voting against him by lawmakers was the need to protect democracy and the rule of law.
Was a two-thirds vote of the 130 members of Congress, about 87 MPs, necessary to impeach Castillo? and the motion was passed with the support of the vast majority of 101.
After the vacancy motion was approved, it fell to then-vice-president Dina Boluarte to assume the presidency of the country until the end of her term in July 2026.
Boluarte came second on Castillo’s list, initiated by the Peruvian Libre party, and served as Minister for Development and Social Inclusion until November 25.
When Castillo announced his decision to dissolve Congress on Wednesday, Boluarte publicly distanced himself from him, saying it violated the constitutional order.
2. Presidents weakened in front of Congress
With the fall of Pedro Castillo and the rise of Dina Boluarte, Peru has had six Presidents since 2018.
In March of the same year, then-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who was elected in the 2016 elections and chose to resign before a vote in Congress, resigned. that the agent considers missing? to dismiss him
Kuczynski was replaced by his deputy, Martín Vizcarra, who was dismissed by Parliament in 2020.
Both Kuczynski and Vizcarra are being investigated by the Public Ministry, but so far no lawsuits have been filed against them.
Vizcarra was replaced by MP Manuel Merino, who resigned five days after assuming the presidency. Congress swore in his place to Francisco Sagasti, who ruled the country until Castillo was elected.
Analysts suggest that in addition to possible cases of corruption that these former presidents could be involved in, repeated changes in the country’s presidency are also explained by political fragmentation and the country’s institutional structure. Congress and the president can override other power’s faculties.
“What happened today is the end of the enduring rivalry between Pedro Castillo and the Peruvian Congress. It is another example of the formidable balance and enduring struggle that Peru’s current constitutional structure has placed within these two institutions,” comments the BBC’s Spanish news service in Peru. Correspondent for BBC News Mundo.
“We’ve seen in recent years how many presidents have had a constant targeting relationship with the Congresses they’ve had to live with. Congress has a vacuum mechanism, and the president has a shut-down mechanism. This makes governing the country very difficult,” he adds.
3. The future of Castillo and the new president
Castillo appeared before the Peruvian National Police (PNP) department on Wednesday, where he was detained on riot charges.
Before Castillo was arrested, Supreme Court President Francisco Morales accused him of “publicly” violating the country’s constitution and announced that he would file a criminal complaint against the former president.
On the other hand, Mexican Chancellor Marcelo Ebrard said that his country could take Castillo if it requested it.
In a statement to the press, he said, “We have a policy conducive to asylum.
In her inaugural address, the new president, Dina Boluarte, called on the country’s political forces to promote dialogue and understanding.
“I want a political ceasefire to form a national unity government. Everyone should take on this great responsibility,” he said.
“It’s up to us to talk, to have a dialogue, to reach an agreement, something so simple that hasn’t been possible in recent months. That’s why I call for a broad process of dialogue between all political forces, represented or unrepresented in Congress.”
Guillermo Olmo, the BBC’s Mundo correspondent in Peru, states that Wednesday’s events put an end to Castillo’s presidency for now, but that this is not the end of the political crisis in Peru.
“This means the end of Castillo’s presidency, but not the end of the political crisis in Peru. Congress is still very divided and polls say he is not as popular as the former president. And there is no deal in sight. Olmo said Castillo should be removed from office. Besides the fact that it is unclear whether there is a consensus on which government and which program to follow,” summarizes Olmo.
– This text is published https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-63900456
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.