Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, under investigation for rebellion after a failed attempt to dissolve parliament, will remain in custody for 18 months, the country’s Supreme Court has announced.
The court ruled, this Thursday, in favor of the Public Ministry (MP), who argued that there was a “risk of flight” to request the continuation of Castillo’s detention.
The decision “decrees preventive detention for a term of 18 months against the accused Pedro Castillo (…) who is under preventive detention from December 7, 2022 to June 6, 2024,” read Judge Juan Carlos Checkley. .
The former head of state tried to take refuge in the Mexican embassy in Lima after being deposed by parliament on December 7.
Castillo, 53 years old and already in pretrial detention, refused to appear at the petition review hearing and denied having received notification of the judicial request.
According to the MP’s arguments, Castillo and former Prime Minister Aníbal Torres, 79, face a possible sentence of more than a minimum of four and a maximum of ten years in prison.
The judicial decision on Castillo was announced a day after the new government of the South American country declared a state of emergency, with the possibility of a mandatory curfew, to try to put an end to the widespread and violent popular protests.
The declaration of a state of emergency suspends the rights of assembly and movement and gives more powers to the police, supported by the military, in house searches and without the permission of a court order.
The protesters demand the release of Castillo, the resignation of the newly appointed President, Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of the Congress (parliament), immediate general elections and the formation of a constituent assembly that promotes a new constitution.
Castillo was arrested on Wednesday when he tried to dissolve Congress before a new impeachment vote, and with the vast majority of deputies demanding his resignation and withdrawing the privileges that prevent heads of state from facing judicial processes.
At least 14 people have died since the demonstrations began on December 7, after the dismissal of Castillo, who denounced a “coup d’état”, an “unfair and arbitrary” detention and promised “never to resign or abandon” the “popular cause”. “. vote” that elected him President.
Rural teacher of indigenous origin and union leader without ties to the elites, Castillo has been supported mainly by the Andean regions, since the 2021 presidential elections, which he narrowly won, in the second round, against the extreme right. the candidate Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, who was sentenced in 2009 to 25 years in prison, but did not fully serve it.
According to a survey published in November, around 86% of Peruvians reject the composition of parliament.
Source: TSF
