PERU: Peru's Congress voted to oust President Pedro Castillo in an impeachment trial on Wednesday, hours after he plunged the country into a constitutional crisis by attempting to dissolve the legislature by decree. Pedro Castillo was arrested after his ousting from office.
Ignoring Castillo's attempt to shut down Congress, lawmakers moved ahead with the previously planned impeachment trial, with 101 votes in favor of removing him, six against and 10 abstentions.
Meanwhile, Peru has a female President for the first time, after ex-President Pedro Castillo was impeached.
Dina Boluarte - previously the vice-president - was sworn in after a dramatic day in Lima on Wednesday.
Boluarte, a 60-year-old lawyer, said she would govern until July 2026, which is when Castillo's Presidency would have ended.
The result of the impeachment was announced with loud cheers and the Legislature. Peru's national police shared an image on Twitter of Castillo sitting unrestrained at a police station after the vote to remove him and said that it had "intervened" to fulfill its duties. It referred to Castillo as "ex-president". It was unclear if he had been detained.
Castillo earlier had said he would temporarily shut down Congress, launch a "government of exception" and called for new legislative elections. That sparked resignations by key ministers from Castillo's Government and allegations of a "coup" by opposition members and allies. The Police and Armed Forces warned him that the route he had taken to try to dissolve Congress was unconstitutional. Castillo, the Leftist teacher-turned-President has survived two previous attempts to impeach him since he began his term in July 2021.
But after his announcement that he would dissolve Congress allies abandoned him and his ministers resigned. The US ambassador criticized his move. - FRANCE 24
Add new comment