Peruvian lawmaker demands 18 months of preventive detention for Pedro Castillo

The Peruvian MP (Public Ministry) requested that ousted president Pedro Castillo be placed in preventive detention for a period of 18 months. The former president is in jail and under investigation for rioting and conspiracy after trying to dissolve Congress.

The Peruvian made a statement last Thursday (7), saying he would form an “exceptional government of emergency” to call for new elections and then amend the Peruvian Constitution.

The announcement came hours before Castillo faced a threat. Third impeachment attempt by opposition lawmakers at 16 months.

The measures that the former representative wanted to implement in Peru were:

• Temporary dissolution of Congress and establishment of an exceptional emergency government;
• Call for elections for a new Congress to draft a new Constitution within nine months;
• Peru was to be governed by decree laws until the new Constitution;
• A nationwide curfew would be imposed from 22:00 until 4:00 the next day;
• A Declaration on a “restructuring” of the justice system, the Judiciary, the Public Department, the National Council of Justice and the Constitutional Court;
• Citizens with illegal weapons were required to hand over the weapons to the National Police within 72 hours;
• “The National Police will devote all their efforts to the real and effective fight against crime, corruption and drug trafficking, for which they will use the necessary resources, with the help of the Armed Forces”

Former president arrested

Hours after the announcement, Castillo was arrested by the police. State Attorney General Daniel Soria filed a criminal complaint against him “for alleged crimes of rioting, abuse of power and gravely disturbing the public peace.”

With his deposition and imprisonment, vice president Dina Boluarte took over from him.

After taking office, she said, “I am a Peruvian citizen and mother who, before politics, is fully aware of the high responsibility that history has placed on my shoulders.”

“And in light of that responsibility, out of homage to the millions of Peruvian mothers who are an example of courage and courage who work every day to provide for their families.”

Castillo called his aide ‘the usurper’

Castillo said he would not resign in a letter published on social networks Monday 12, describing the new president and vice-president, Dina Boluarte, as a “usurper”.

I am unconditionally committed to my popular and constitutional authority as President, and I will not resign or relinquish my sacred duties.”

The former president also said, referring to Boluarte, that “the usurper” uttered the same lines as the “putschist right”.

“The people should not be deceived by the dirty new electoral games. Enough of the abuses! Now the Constituent Assembly! Freedom immediately!”, he wrote.

* With information from Reuters