DailyExpertNews
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Dina Boluarte became Peru’s first female president on Wednesday, capping a dramatic day when her predecessor was arrested for the alleged crime of rebellion and impeached by lawmakers.
Boluarte, the country’s former vice president, was sworn in by Congress to the top job to become Peru’s sixth president in less than five years.
The ceremony took place hours after a 101-member majority in the 130-member legislative body voted to impeach former leader Pedro Castillo.
The tumultuous day began when then-President Castillo announced plans to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government ahead of a looming impeachment vote by lawmakers, which Peru’s ombudsman described as an “attempted coup”.
He also called for parliamentary elections to work on a new constitution.
The move sparked a series of cabinet resignations, fiery backlash from top officials and condemnation from regional neighbors — ultimately failing to prevent his impeachment in Congress.
The Peruvian armed forces rejected Castillo’s attempt to sideline lawmakers, calling it a “violation of the Constitution”.
And Boluarte himself criticized Castillo’s dissolution plan, describing it on Twitter as “a coup that exacerbates the political and institutional crisis that Peruvian society will have to overcome in strict compliance with the law.”
International officials joined Castillo’s chorus of condemnations, with the United States urging the leader to reverse the move and “allow Peru’s democratic institutions to function according to the constitution,” according to the US ambassador to Peru, Lisa Kenna. said on Twitter.
“We will continue to oppose any act that violates the Peruvian Constitution, and categorically reject any act that undermines democracy in that country,” U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. .
Argentina’s foreign ministry expressed its “deep concern” over the political crisis in Perua statement on Twitterand Brazil’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Castillo’s actions were “incompatible with that country’s constitutional framework, [and] constitute a violation of democracy and the rule of law.”
In a stunning turn of events, Castillo was detained by police in the capital Lima after lawmakers impeached him in Congress.
Footage shared from the prefecture showed the former president, dressed in a blue jacket, sitting around a table as officials signed documents.
In a statement, Peru’s attorney general’s office said Castillo had been arrested for the alleged crime of rebellion, “for violating constitutional order.”
“We condemn the violation of the constitutional order,” Peru’s Attorney General Patricia Benavides said in a statement. “Peru’s political constitution enshrines the separation of powers and establishes that Peru is a democratic and sovereign republic… No authority can place itself above the constitution and must abide by its constitutional mandates.”
DailyExpertNews has reached out to Castillo’s defense team for comment on the allegations.
It’s a humbling end to Castillo’s short tenure. Rising from obscurity to be elected by a slim margin in a runoff election in July 2021, the former schoolteacher and union leader has been seen as part of a “pink tidal wave” of new leftist leaders in Latin America.
He ran on a platform promising to rewrite the constitution and increase wealth redistribution by giving states greater control over markets and natural resources, commitments he has struggled to deliver amid rising inflation in Peru, its lack of political experience and strong conservative opposition in Congress.
The leftist leader’s government had been embroiled in chaos since its inauguration, with dozens of ministers appointed, replaced, dismissed or resigned within just over a year, adding further strain to him.
Castillo has railed against the opposition for trying to remove him from day one in office. He has accused Benavides of orchestrating what he called a new form of “coup d’état” against him through her agency’s investigations.
In October, Benavides filed a constitutional complaint against Castillo based on three of the six investigations opened by her office. The complaint allows Congress to conduct its own investigation against the former president.
Castillo has faced a series of inquiries into whether he used his position to help himself, his family and close allies by, among other things, exerting influence to gain favor or preferential treatment.
Castillo has repeatedly denied all allegations and reiterated his willingness to cooperate with any investigation. He claims the allegations are the result of a witch hunt against him and his family by groups that did not accept his election victory.
The former president faces five preliminary criminal investigations over allegations of setting up corruption schemes while in office. These include prosecutors’ allegation that he led a “criminal network” that interfered with public institutions such as the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Housing and Peru’s state-owned oil company to monitor public bidding processes and benefit specific companies and close allies. come.
Prosecutors are also investigating whether the former president attempted to influence the promotion process of officers in both the armed forces and national police.
These investigations also look at Castillo’s family, including his wife and sister-in-law. Former first lady Lilia Paredes is being investigated on suspicion of allegedly coordinating the criminal network. Her lawyer, Benji Espinoza, has insisted that the investigation against the former first lady contains “a number of flaws and omissions”.
Her sister-in-law Yenifer Paredes is under investigation for alleged participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and serious conspiracy. She was in custody until a judge revoked her 30-month “protective custody”. She has also denied any allegations.
“My daughter, my wife and all my family have been attacked for the sole purpose of destroying me because they don’t want me to finish my term. I promise you I will finish my term. I am not corrupt,” Castillo said. during a televised address from the Presidential Palace on Oct. 20.
In the same speech, Castillo admitted that some of his closest allies should be tried on corruption charges, saying, “If they have betrayed my trust, let justice take care of them.”
President Boluarte’s image has also been tarnished by her own constitutional inquiry by Congress, which was rejected on Dec. 5.
Her ascendancy need not necessarily ease Peru’s toxic and bitter political landscape, as she would need cross-party support to rule.
Meanwhile, many Peruvians are calling for a total reset. In September 2022, 60% of Peruvians said they supported early elections to refresh both the presidency and the Congress, according to a poll by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP).
