Peru’s President files “habeas corpus” after being accused of treason

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, has filed a “habeas corpus” appeal against the constitutional complaint filed by a congressional commission for an alleged crime of treason for statements in which he spoke of the possibility of giving Bolivia access to the sea.

The Peruvian president’s legal team informed the “habeas corpus” has been admitted for processing. It details that the congressmen of the Subcommittee of Constitutional Accusations (SAC) of the Parliament would have committed an “alleged violation of the right to individual freedom,” to due process, the principle of legality, and another series of attacks on the presumption of innocence and freedom of conscience, reports the newspaper La República.

Last February 28, the SAC declared a constitutional complaint against Castillo for the alleged violation of articles 32, 54, 110, and 118 of the Constitution for his statements on the possibility of facilitating Bolivia’s access to the sea during an interview he gave to CNN.

Shortly after that, and because of the commotion caused by his statements, Castillo assured in another interview that he would “never” cede to another country “one centimeter of Peruvian territory“.

“Yes, I expressed myself badly. I apologize to our people. I want to tell you again that I will do nothing in my government without consulting the people,” said Castillo, who, although he clarified that this “concept of granting the sea to Bolivia” is part of a series of policies already carried out by former presidents such as Alberto Fujimori and Alan García to develop economic and tourist growth” with that country.

At the same time, last week, the opposition represented by Renovación Popular presented a second motion of censure against the Peruvian president, the second in the seven months of his so far convulsive mandate, marked by four government crises and constant denunciations by his political rivals.