The political crisis in Peru never ends. A court rejects the appeal against the detention of ex-President Castillo. Instead, the public prosecutor’s office is demanding 18 months in custody. Meanwhile, after protests in other regions, a state of emergency is declared.
Peru’s ousted President Pedro Castillo remains in custody for the time being. The defense’s objection to the detention of the deposed head of state was “unfounded,” said judge César San Martín after a virtual hearing on Tuesday. Peruvian prosecutors later that night requested that Castillo be held in pre-trial detention for 18 months.
A hearing to decide on the application is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. (3:00 p.m. CET) local time. According to legal experts, the ex-head of state is likely to remain in prison.
The ex-president was removed from office by parliament last Wednesday for “moral incompetence” and later arrested. The left-wing politician is accused of “rebellion and conspiracy”. His deputy, Dina Boluarte, was appointed as the new President.
The country has been rocked by protests ever since. According to official information, seven people have been killed in the demonstrations so far. According to the human rights ombudswoman, Eliana Revollar, more than 200 people were injured.
Castillo had previously stated during the hearing that he would “never give up”. His arrest was unfair and arbitrary, he said. He called on the military and police to “lay down their arms and stop killing this people thirsting for justice.”
Castillo’s pre-trial detention was initially set by the Supreme Court for seven days – so it would actually have ended on Wednesday. During the hearing, the ousted head of state called on his supporters to meet him in front of the prison. The call was widely shared in the online networks.
On Monday, the new government had already declared a 60-day state of emergency in several parts of the country particularly affected by protests and fired 26 regional prefects appointed by Castillo. The protests continued on Wednesday. According to the police, demonstrators blocked many roads in 13 of the 24 regions.
After an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening, Peruvian Defense Minister Alberto Otárola announced a state of emergency for the Arequipa and Ica regions. This means that the army can also be used in addition to the police. The new President Boluarte called for “calm, peace, so that we can live together like brothers and sisters”. She also stated that she was considering extending the state of emergency nationwide.
