Peru’s political system is on the brink of collapse after its president was accused of a coup and reportedly arrested.
Pedro Castillo announced he was dissolving the nation’s Congress just a few hours before it was set to hold an impeachment trial against him.
Legislators who want him out of office have alleged the peasant-turned-leader is guilty of corruption.
The national police and army have announced they do not support him, saying ‘he is alone’.
A statement released tonight said the police are ‘following the rule of the law and not the president’.
Opponents are blocking entrances to the Mexican embassy amid reports he may attempt to flee the country via there.
URGENTE: Ciudadanos peruanos bloquean el acceso a la embajada de México en Perú ante un posible escape y refugio de Pedro Castillo. pic.twitter.com/ESURAZMHWI
— AgustÃn Antonetti (@agusantonetti) December 7, 2022
His whereabouts is unclear but riot police are on the street to try and prevent the situation from descending into violence.
With uncertainty about Mr Castillo’s intentions swirling, Congress officially voted to oust him with 101 votes in favour.
His vice president has been appointed to lead instead.
Peru’s national ombudsman’s office said in a statement before the congressional vote that after years of democracy, Peru is in the midst of a constitutional collapse ‘that can’t be called anything but a coup’.
Mr Castillo is currently facing investigation for six charges, namely profiting from public money.
The socialist leader insists he is innocent, claiming his mistakes are only due to a lack of experience.
Mr Castillo believes a part of Congress ‘has as its only agenda item removing me from office because they never accepted the results of an election that you, my dear Peruvians, determined with your votes’.
Today’s impeachment trial would have been the third attempt to remove him from office since he began leading in July 2021.
But the debate could not go ahead because Mr Castillo tried to close Congress.
He said he wanted to install an ’emergency government aimed at restoring the rule of law and democracy’ where he would rule by decree.
He had also ordered a nightly curfew which he wanted to start tonight.
The first president to come from a poor farming community in the nation’s 200-year history, Mr Castillo arrived in the presidential palace last year without any political experience.
He has changed his cabinet five times during his year and a half in office, running through 60 different cabinet officials, leaving various government agencies paralysed.
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