For days, demonstrators in Peru have been taking to the streets against the impeachment of President Castillo. People often die in clashes with the police. Castillo himself will have to remain in custody for a long time.
There have been violent protests in Peru for days because of his dismissal – now ex-president Pedro Castillo has to remain in custody for 18 months. This was decided by the country’s highest court, citing a possible risk of absconding.
With their decision, the judges followed a request from the public prosecutor’s office. This justified the existing risk of absconding, among other things, with the fact that Castillo had tried to seek protection in the Mexican embassy in Lima after his removal from office.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses the ex-head of state of “rebellion” and “conspiracy” and faces up to ten years in prison if found guilty. Immediately after the Supreme Court’s decision to extend the detention, Castillo’s lawyers announced that they would appeal.
Castillo was removed from office by parliament on December 7 for “moral incompetence” and later arrested. The left-leaning previous president sees this as a political conspiracy. After his dismissal, his previous deputy, Dina Boluarte, was sworn in as the new president. In view of the protests, she had announced that the parliamentary elections would be brought forward – and at the same time imposed a nationwide state of emergency.
With the state of emergency, the army, among other things, is now authorized to take action against protests. Nevertheless, supporters of Castillo took to the streets again in many places on Thursday. Two more people were killed in violent clashes. According to the Ministry of Health, the death toll since the protests began has risen to ten. About 340 people were injured.
“I absolutely disagree with the Peruvian judicial system,” said Castillo supporter Rolando Arana in Lima after the Supreme Court’s decision. “Everything is for sale.” Lucy Carranza was also certain: “Our president was kidnapped. There’s no other way to describe it.”
In the capital, among other things, a protest march of up to 3,000 people moved through a suburb towards the center. There were also particularly violent protests in the south of the country, where five airports remained closed. Across the country, more than a hundred streets are blocked by demonstrators.
Castillo was elected head of state in July 2021 as a political outsider. Since then, the 53-year-old has been in a constant power struggle with the conservative-dominated Congress, which finally ousted him last week.
