Deposed Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who had been arrested and charged with insurgency, sought his release from an appeals court this Wednesday (28), and denied committing a crime when he attempted to stage a self-coup on December 7.
“I want an end to hatred and my freedom because it’s a fair right. I’ve never committed the crime of rebellion,” Castillo said during a virtual audience.
Castillo’s defense demands the abolition of the 18-month preventive detention he has been under at a police base in Lima. The Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court, led by Judge César San Martín, should consider the request this Wednesday.
Along with his lawyer, Mr.
Castillo, a rural teacher and left-wing union leader, said he had not been contacted and asked the judge to allow him access to a phone so he could keep in touch with his wife and two children, who went into exile in Mexico last week.
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, who visited him with a team from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) a week ago, the former president was constitutionally impeached by Congress and is now in prison under legal conditions and without any physical complications. .
Castillo, 53, is being held in Barbadillo prison, which is affiliated with the Police Special Operations Directorate (Diroes) in Lima, Peru. He is being investigated for rioting and attempting to shut down Congress, interference with public authority, and executive order. The maneuver did not receive institutional support.
As he tried to reach the Mexican embassy to apply for asylum, the police arrested him hours after his dismissal. The vice president was Dina Boluarte, who took over the government.
Castillo’s fall triggered violent protests that killed 22 people and injured more than 600 in clashes with security forces. Protesters demanded Boluarte’s resignation, the closure of Congress, and a pending election.
In an effort to alleviate the crisis, Parliament approved a week ago the postponement of the 2026 general elections to April 2024.
ljc/mav/dga/ic/mvv
© Agence France-Presse
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.