CNN
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Dina Boluarte became Peru’s first female president on Wednesday, capping a dramatic day in which her predecessor was arrested for the alleged crime of rebellion and impeached by lawmakers.
Boluarte, the country’s former vice president, was sworn in as head of Congress to become Peru’s sixth president in less than five years.
The ceremony took place hours after a majority of 101 members of the 130-person legislature voted to remove former leader Pedro Castillo.
The tumultuous day began when then-President Castillo announced plans to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government, ahead of an impending impeachment vote by lawmakers, which Peru’s mediator described as an “attempted coup”.
He also called for legislative elections to work on a new constitution.
The move prompted a series of cabinet resignations, heated reactions from senior officials and condemnation from regional neighbors – and ultimately failed to prevent his impeachment in Congress.
The Peruvian armed forces rejected Castillo’s attempt to sideline lawmakers, calling it a “violation of the constitution.”
And Boluarte herself criticized Castillo’s disbandment plan, describing it on Twitter as “a blow that aggravates the political and institutional crisis that Peruvian society will have to overcome in strict compliance with the law.”
International officials have joined in the chorus of condemnations of Castillo, with the United States urging the leader to “reverse” the decision and “allow Peru’s democratic institutions to function in accordance with the Constitution”, the US ambassador to the country said. Peru, Lisa Kenna. said on Twitter.
“We will continue to oppose and categorically reject any act that contradicts the constitution of Peru, any act that undermines democracy in this country,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. communicated.
Argentina’s foreign ministry has expressed “deep concern” over the political crisis in Peru.a statement on Twitterand the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Castillo’s actions were “incompatible with the constitutional framework of this country, [and] represent a violation of democracy and the rule of law.
In a stunning turn of events, Castillo was arrested by police in the capital Lima after lawmakers impeached him in Congress.
Footage shared by the prefecture showed the former president, dressed in a blue jacket, sitting around a table as officials signed documents.
In a statement, Peru’s attorney general’s office said Castillo had been arrested for the alleged crime of rebellion, “for violating the constitutional order.”
“We condemn the violation of the constitutional order,” Peru’s Attorney General Patricia Benavides said in a statement. “The Political Constitution of Peru enshrines the separation of powers and establishes that Peru is a democratic and sovereign republic… No authority can place itself above the Constitution and must comply with its constitutional mandates.
It’s a humiliating end to Castillo’s brief tenure. The former schoolteacher and labor leader emerged from obscurity to be elected in July 2021 by a narrow margin in a runoff, and was seen as part of a ‘pink tide’ of new left-wing leaders in Latin America.
He ran on a platform promising to rewrite the constitution and increase wealth redistribution by giving states greater control over markets and natural resources, promises he has struggled to keep. against a backdrop of rising inflation in Peru, its lack of political experience and its strong conservative opposition in Congress.
The left-wing leader’s government had been in chaos since his inauguration, with dozens of ministers appointed, replaced, fired or resigned from their posts in just over a year, putting additional pressure on him.
Castillo railed against the opposition for trying to impeach him on his first day in office. He accused Benavides of orchestrating what he called a new form of “coup” against him through his office’s investigations.
In October, Benavides filed a constitutional complaint against Castillo based on three of six investigations his office had opened. The complaint allows Congress to conduct its own investigation against the former president.
Castillo faced a cascade of investigations into whether he used his position to benefit himself, his family and his closest allies by peddling influence for favors or preferential treatment. , among other claims.
Castillo has repeatedly denied all allegations and reiterated his willingness to cooperate with any investigation. He argues the allegations are the result of a witch hunt against him and his family by groups who did not accept his election victory.
The former president faces five preliminary criminal investigations into allegations he organized corruption schemes while in office. These include prosecutors’ allegation that he ran a “criminal network” that interfered with public institutions such as the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Housing and the Peruvian state oil company to control processes. public bidding and benefit specific companies and close allies.
Prosecutors are also investigating whether the former president led influence-peddling efforts in the promotion process for officers in the armed forces and national police.
These investigations also include Castillo’s family, including his wife and sister-in-law. Former first lady Lilia Paredes is under investigation on suspicion of coordinating the criminal network. Her lawyer, Benji Espinoza, has emphasized her innocence and argues that the investigation against the former first lady includes “a number of flaws and omissions”.
His sister-in-law Yenifer Paredes is being investigated for allegedly being part of a criminal organization, money laundering and aggravated collusion. She was in custody until a judge revoked her “preventive detention” for 30 months. She, too, denied any wrongdoing.
“My daughter, my wife, my whole family have been attacked with the sole purpose of destroying me because they don’t want me to finish my term, I promise you I will finish my term, I’m not corrupt,” he said. Castillo said. during a televised speech from the presidential palace on October 20.
In the same speech, Castillo admitted that some of his closest allies should be brought to justice over corruption allegations, saying, “If they betrayed my trust, let justice deal with them.”
President Boluarte’s image was also tarnished by his own constitutional inquiry by Congress, which was dismissed on December 5.
Her ascendancy won’t necessarily soothe Peru’s poisonous and embittered political landscape, as she would need cross-party support in order to govern.
Meanwhile, many Peruvians have called for a total reset. In September 2022, 60% of Peruvians said they support a snap election to freshen up both the presidency and Congress, according to a poll by the Institute for Peruvian Studies (IEP).
