RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The opposition formalized this Thursday (25) in the Peruvian Congress a request to impeach the President, leftist Pedro Castillo, for “permanent moral incapacity”.
The motion was promoted by the third vice-president of Congress, right-wing Patricia Chirinos, and presented with 28 signatures.
In total, there were two more than the minimum required by Peruvian law for its eventual admission to be discussed in the first instance.
For the substantive issue to be debated later, 52 votes in favor are required, and 87 votes of the 130 congressmen for the eventual dismissal from office.
In principle, analysts and local media indicate that the motion does not yet have the necessary support to be admitted for debate.
SUPPORT FROM THE POLITICAL RIGHT
The document had the signatures of congressmen of the right-wing groups Renovación Popular, Avanza País and Fuerza Popular, led by Keiko Fujimori. The politician lost last June to Castillo in her third consecutive failed run for the Peruvian presidency.
Among the arguments to consider Castillo’s “moral incapacity” is her electoral campaign’s alleged illegal use of funds this year. In addition, it was alleged that “high officials linked to terrorism and accused of terrorism apology” and influence-peddling were appointed to the high commands of the Armed Forces.
In addition to this, accusations were made against the National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (Sunat).
Castillo is charged with “weakening of the democratic system” for “strengthening relations with anti-democratic governments such as Venezuela”. In addition, it was indicated that “he endorsed the intervention of foreign personalities in internal affairs,” among whom Bolivia’s Evo Morales is mentioned.
The signatories add that during Castillo’s government, which began last July 28, there has been a “weakening of freedom of expression”, in addition to a “mistreatment of the media and refusal to be accountable to society”, as well as a “permissibility of violence against women”.
SUCCESSION REGIME
For these reasons, the motion asks “to declare Castillo’s permanent moral incapacity” and a vacancy in the office.
This would mean that the “succession regime” established in the Peruvian Constitution be “applied”. This indicates that the position should be assumed by his vice-president, Dina Boluarte.
However, politicians such as the far-right Renovación Popular party leader, Rafael López, said that the intention is to dismiss both Castillo and Boluarte. Under this new scenario, the President of Congress would assume the position of right-wing María del Carmen Alva.
While Alva should immediately call for general elections, Lopez affirmed that this norm should be modified. This, so that only presidential elections are called and the current Congress, which is dominated by right-wing groups, is maintained.
GOVERNMENT POSITION
Although the presentation of the impeachment request has not yet been answered by the government, last week the Prime Minister, Mirtha Vásquez, affirmed that this could represent an attack “against the popular will and therefore against the democracy” of her country and sent an official letter to the President of the Congress to express her concern.
Vice President Boluarte, also Minister of Development and Social Inclusion, asked the Parliament to “reflect to work for a united Peru” and assured that the government “has not been given a minute of truce.”
On the other hand, Castillo challenged this Tuesday the opposition congressmen who promoted his dismissal to ask for his exit in the streets and the squares “and not inside four walls”.
The President said that he has “kept silent” and has been “respectful” of these proposals but anticipated that he feels obliged to speak out in the face of constant criticism from the opposition in Congress.
However, he has also been questioned by a faction of congress members of the Peru Libre party, which criticizes him for having removed members of this group from his entourage, and this Thursday, he announced that he would evaluate the request for impeachment, according to his spokesman in the legislature, Waldemar Cerrón.