Peru: Political crisis intensifies

The political crisis in Peru is coming to a head, with the prime minister calling on the people to defend the government in the streets and lawmakers trading blows in Congress as the investigation into controversial President Pedro Castillo draws closer.

On Wednesday, August 10, after his sister-in-law surrendered to authorities for alleged influence peddling, Castillo met at the presidential palace with allied social leaders who called for a congressional shutdown and urged their supporters to come to Lima’s capital to protest the latest developments. Castillo denounced a plot by conservative lawmakers, prosecutors, and some media to oust him.

“If they continue with their stance of impeachment, suspension, and political trials, if they continue to be willing to carry out a coup d’état against President Castillo, the people have no other choice,” Prime Minister Anibal Torres said at the meeting. “The people have woken up; they are a people who know how to defend their rights. If necessary, with their own lives.”

Castillo, whose approval rating has risen from just nineteen percent in June to twenty-four percent in August, has had to deal daily with crises stemming from bribery investigations and attempts by lawmakers to seek impeachment proceedings against him. The arrest of his sister-in-law, Yenifer Paredes, has exacerbated the situation for the 52-year-old head of state.

Lady Camones, the new president of Congress, rejected on Thursday, August 11, what she called “incitement to violence” by Castillo and Torres. She called for respect for the independence of the Attorney General’s Office in conducting investigations.

Also, on Thursday, new Finance Minister Kurt Burneo met with business leaders to boost investment in the country and said he was trying to do his part to spur growth and reduce political tensions.

Although wild politics are nothing new in Peru, the crisis is proving to be an obstacle for the economy to fully recover from the pandemic. In Congress, several deputies exchanged insults and shoves, forcing the session to be suspended. Outside the presidential palace, unions rallied to defend the president.

With information from Latina Press