Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announced this Wednesday (7) the dissolution of Congress and the establishment of an emergency government, hours before parliament meets to discuss his impeachment. Afterwards, the Peruvian police announced that they had arrested him.
According to the Peruvian police, former president Pedro Castillo has been arrested and is at the Peruvian national police station. “In accordance with our powers and authorities described in Art. 5 of DL n.° 1267 of the Law of the National Police of Peru, PNP personnel are questioning former President Pedro Castillo.”
Meeting our capabilities and attributions described in art. 5 of DL No. 1267 Ley la Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP employees intercede with ex-president Pedro Castillo. pic.twitter.com/w5dCD1oBSN
– National Police of Peru (@PoliciaPeru) December 7, 2022
The police decision is based on Congress’s decision to impeach him for “moral incompetence”, ignoring their decision to dissolve parliament. Castillo’s resignation was approved by 101 votes out of a total of 130 congressmen. The vote took place at Congressional headquarters and was broadcast live on television.
Hours earlier, Castillo had ordered the dissolution of parliament.
“The following measures are enacted: temporarily dissolve the Congress of the Republic and install an exceptional emergency government; convene as soon as possible a new congress with constituent powers to draw up a new constitution within a maximum period of nine months”Castillo declared in a message read to the nation from the government palace.
“From this date and until the new Congress is established, we shall govern by decrees of law. A mandatory curfew is declared at the national level from today (…) from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.” On Thursday, the president declared, wearing a blue suit and the presidential sash.
“I declare that the judicial system, the judiciary, the prosecution service, the National Council of Justice and the Constitutional Court be reorganized”he claimed.
Attorney General Patricia Benavides immediately responded, expressing her “emphatic rejection” of “any violation of constitutional order” and urging the president to “respect the Constitution, the rule of law and democracy that have cost us so much.”
“President Pedro Castillo staged a coup. He violated Article 117 of the Peruvian Constitution and became illegitimate. This is a coup”said Augusto Álvarez, AFP political analyst.
Castillo’s announcement comes just over 30 years after former President Alberto Fujimori’s (1990-2000) self-coup that dissolved Congress on April 5, 1992.
Source: DN
