Peru’s Pedro Castillo is experiencing the stormiest week of his presidency

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Pedro Castillo had a very busy week up to Sunday: the interview with CNN’s Fernando del Rincón, highly criticized by both the left and right wings of Peruvian politics, the Repsol oil spill that continues to afflict the Peruvian coast, particularly the Ventanilla sea where fishermen are unable to sustain their daily economic livelihood due to the crude oil, and the resignation of Avelino Guillén on Friday from the Interior Ministry due to disagreements with Peruvian National Police (PNP) Commander General Javier Gallardo.

CNN’s Del Rincón interviewed the president on Monday, January 24 and Tuesday, January 25, where he exposed the shortcomings of his government, with the words “people,” “country” and “government” as the most repeated.

But what drew the most attention was when Del Rincón asked him about foreign policy: if he considered Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua as democracies or if he had received a consultancy from the Mexican government. The most heated point was about a potential outlet to the sea for Bolivia. The CNN interviewer was surprised with Castillo’s answer and asked him if he thought that would bring him many problems, but the head of state said that it is “Bolivia’s claim.”

“We will come to an agreement. We will consult the people. I have to govern in tune with the people, and if they do not agree? My duty is to the people, I would never do things that the people do not want,” he said.

Pedro Castillo said that it was Bolivia’s “right” to have access to the sea and “we not only have to open the borders, we have to live the borders, because there are great needs.” The CNN journalist was again astonished by Castillo’s words, but the Peruvian president continued: “I am not saying that I am going to give the sea to Bolivia. Likewise, when we visited Bolivia, there was a proposal to bring gas from the country to the south of Peru. Is that to be against the country?”

A potential outlet to the sea for Bolivia by Pedro Castillo’s government was rejected by several congressional benches, the Foreign Ministry and even the Minister of Production Jorge Luis Prado, who said that “sovereignty must be respected.”

REPSOL

The problem with Spanish oil company Repsol persists after confirmation that it spilled 10,396 barrels of oil offshore Ventanilla and that so far there is no solution from the central government to clean up this part of the Peruvian coastline. Many workers, as well as fishermen, who depended on the industry have lost their daily livelihood and there are 24 contaminated beaches after the ecological disaster.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the government will impose a “severe sanction” and the fine on Repsol could reach 226 (US$58) million soles, according to the Ministry of the Environment’s Evaluation and Oversight Agency (OEFA).

The Judiciary ordered that the Spanish company’s representatives be prevented from leaving Peru for 18 months: Jaime Fernández-Cuesta and officials Renzo Tejada, Gísela Posadas and José Reyes, accused of being responsible for the spill of 6,000 oil barrels that have affected over 100 km of the Peruvian coast, in addition to damaging the ecosystem and the sea’s flora and fauna.

In recent days it came to light, through a journalistic investigation by Latina Noticias, that several of Repsol’s representatives met with the Secretary General of the Government Palace Carlos Jaico.

Hours later, given Pedro Castillo’s silence, the multinational energy and petrochemical company issued a statement: “The meetings held between Repsol and several government officials were institutional in nature and with the sole purpose of normalizing the necessary communication, informing or agreeing on actions aimed at cleaning and rehabilitating the environment affected by the regrettable spill that occurred on January 15 and seeking the best way to provide an initial compensation to all the affected populations.”

In the document, it explained that the meeting with Jaico was held at the Spanish Embassy to Peru in the presence of Ambassador Alejandro Alvargonzález, with the sole purpose of “listening to the complaints and demands of the Peruvian administration, in order to better understand the mechanisms to channel the payment of compensation to the affected parties, as well as commitments related to the cleanup and rehabilitation of the sea and the Peruvian coastline.”

Pedro Castillo, who had flown over the ecological disaster area, said in the ceremony to lay the first stone of the new Huari Hospital, in Ancash, that all of the international companies’ contracts would be reviewed.

“Today they are out there saying that when you strike the waters, the fish surface. Here in Huari I can tell them that when you strike the waters, the oil surfaces. We will defend the sea and we will punish and sanction companies that pollute,” he said.

RESIGNATION OF AVELINO GUILLÉN

Avelino Guillén submitted his resignation to the Ministry of the Interior on Friday afternoon, January 28. Pedro Castillo has said nothing about it, but the former prosecutor granted two interviews to La República and Epicentro.TV to express his disagreement with the government to keep the Peruvian National Police (PNP), Commander General Javier Gallardo and his entire command.

The head of state was aware of the prosecutor’s position regarding the changes that should be made in the PNP high commands, but he never raised the subject again and let it pass.

“I expected the president of the Republic to support his Minister, but he preferred to remain silent and stand aside. This is a deafening silence, because it says a lot. He stated a position of clear and direct support to the Police Commander General,” he said in an interview with La República.

Avelino Guillen said that Pedro Castillo had offered him the position of Minister of Justice and Human Rights in place of Anibal Torres, but never discussed it with Cabinet Chairwoman Mirtha Vasquez, because she was infected with Covid-19.

Government sources pointed out that the former Minister of the Interior had asked for the relief of the whole PNP command and had suggested new names, but Pedro Castillo did not accept these changes, so the attorney submitted his “unconditional” resignation.