Peru legislators impeach President Castillo after move to dissolve Congress
Legislators vote 101-6 with 10 abstentions to remove Castillo from office for reasons of ‘permanent moral incapacity’
Lima — Peru’s Congress voted to oust President Pedro Castillo in an impeachment trial on Wednesday, hours after he said he would dissolve the legislature by decree and threw the Andean country into a full-on constitutional crisis.
Ignoring Castillo’s attempt to shut down Congress, legislators moved ahead with the impeachment trial, with 101 votes in favour of removing him, six against and 10 abstentions, for reasons of “perma
nent moral incapacity”. The legislature called Vice-President Dina Boluarte to take office.
While it was unclear who would ultimately prevail, Castillo appeared to be losing his grip on power as allies abandoned him and ministers, the armed forces, police and the US ambassador criticised his move to shut down Congress outside normal legal channels.
"The US categorically rejects any extra-constitutional act by President Castillo to prevent Congress from fulfilling its mandate," the US ambassador to Peru, Lisa Kenna, wrote on Twitter.
Peru, which has gone through years of political turmoil, has seen major stand-offs between the president and Congress before.
President Martin Vizcarra dissolved Congress and was later impeached in 2020. Three decades ago, former president Alberto Fujimori, currently in prison for human rights abuses and corruption, also announced the dissolution of Congress.
Reuters