Peru’s President Castillo Fails a Coup Attempt
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo addresses the audience during the opening of the VII Ministerial Summit on Government and Digital Transformation of the Americas, in Lima, Peru on Nov 10, 2022. Source: Reuters/Sebastian Castaneda
Peru narrowly avoided a constitutional crisis on Wednesday after former President Pedro Castillo attempted to take unilateral control of the government as a preemptive measure to a third scheduled impeachment vote. He announced an emergency government with rule by presidential decree, the dissolution of Congress, and the imposition of a nightly curfew. Mass resignation of army officials and ministers followed, as members of the government, public, and foreign leaders cried foul at the attempted coup.
Castillo had no authority to seize control and did not receive necessary support from the military. Instead, he was ousted by Congress with a 101-6 vote, on the basis of “permanent moral incapacity.” Federal prosecutors then demanded his arrest on charges of rebellion for allegedly violating constitutional order.
A statement by the prosecutors claimed, “we condemn the violation of constitutional order. Peru’s political constitution enshrines the separation of powers and establishes Peru as a democratic and sovereign Republic—No authority can put itself above the Constitution and must comply with constitutional mandates.”
A hearing by the Supreme Court on Thursday to evaluate the federal prosecutor’s arrest warrant led to a seven-day preliminary detention. Castillo currently has six cases against him, mostly based on the claim that he used his position to profit from public works. However, this is not unprecedented, as almost every Peruvian president in the last half century has been charged with corruption due to connections to multinational corporations.
Castillo has held office since July 2021, elected as part of a left-wing “pink tide,” on campaign promises to end inequality. He comes from a poor background, a rural school teacher with no political experience. In a year and a half, he had reshuffled his cabinet five times with over 60 different cabinet officials. Paralyzed government agencies along with an ineffective administration denote his legacy.
Dina Boluarte will be Castillo’s replacement, who acted as both vice president and minister of development and social inclusion under Castillo. Boluarte is part of Castillo’s Free Peru party, but has managed to avoid corruption scandals. She is the first ever female president of Peru, and while she is seen as competent and somewhat uncontroversial, not many are hopeful she will manage to stabilize the political situation.
Former Vice President Dina Boluarte acknowledges lawmakers after she was sworn in as president at Congress in Lima, Peru, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. Behind is Congress President Jose Williams. Peru's Congress voted to remove President Pedro Castillo from office Wednesday and replace him with the vice president, shortly after Castillo tried to dissolve the legislature ahead of a scheduled vote to remove him. Source: AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo
Peru is currently experiencing its worst drought in 50 years and a fifth wave of COVID-19 cases. Further, the country has been in political crisis since the 2016-2021 presidential term, which began with Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Kuczynski was impeached on corruption charges and replaced by Martín Vizcarra, who dissolved Congress a year later. A newly elected legislature removed him and the next president, Manuel Merino, resigned after six days, when two protestors were killed. After Merino came Francisco Sagasti, who finished off the last nine months of the term. Castillo inherited this political situation, and unfortunately was not able to stabilize it.
Castillo has denied all allegations of corruption and blamed opposition in Congress for bias against him. He has asserted there is a witch hunt against him and his family perpetrated by those unwilling to accept the results of the 2021 elections. Currently, he is planning to request asylum at the Mexican embassy.
Peru’s current options are limited. A caretaker government and early elections are the most popular steps forward, as a September poll by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP) found that 60 percent of citizens wanted new elections for both the presidency and Congress. However, Boluerte rejected that course of action, and instead is hoping for a political truce and a government of national unity.
Nevertheless, despite the instability of the past few years, Peru’s democratic institutions remain intact.