The Congress of Peru approved this Wednesday afternoon to declare the vacancy of the President Pedro Castillo alleging permanent moral incapacity.
The motion to remove the president was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. this Wednesday. However, the congressmen decided to advance the vote to 12:30 pm after the dissolution of Parliament decreed by Castillo in the morning.
(In context: Crisis in Peru: Pedro Castillo, arrested after dissolving Congress)
For the removal of the president to proceed, the vote in favor of at least 87 of the 130 parliamentarians was required. Finally, the vote ended with 101 votes in favor, six votes against, and 10 abstentions.
According to constitutional succession, the Vice President Dina Boluarte should assume the leadership of the Peruvian State.
Just when the motion against Castillo was being voted on, Boluarte spoke through his social networks in rejection of what they have described as a “coup d’état.”
“I reject Pedro Castillo’s decision to break the constitutional order with the closure of Congress. It is a coup d’état that aggravates the political and institutional crisis that Peruvian society will have to overcome with strict adherence to the law,” he wrote. the vice president on her social networks.
I reject the decision of Pedro Castillo to perpetrate the breakdown of the constitutional order with the closure of Congress. It is a coup that aggravates the political and institutional crisis that Peruvian society will have to overcome with strict adherence to the law.
— Dina Boluarte Z. (@DinaErcilia) December 7, 2022
After the vote, Congress called a new session for this Wednesday at 3 in the afternoon to swear in Vice President Dina Boluarte, who will take office as the new president of Peru.
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What motivated the dismissal?
Hours before the motion, the president dictated to temporarily dissolve the Congress and establish a national emergency government.
“The following measures are issued: Temporarily dissolve the Congress of the Republic and establish an exceptional emergency government,” Castillo said in a message to the nation that was not previously announced.
Castillo also announced that he dictates “to convene in the shortest term elections for a new Congress with constituent powers to elaborate a new Constitution in a period not exceeding 9 months.”
In addition, he ordered a nationwide curfew starting this Wednesday from 10:00 p.m. local time (3:00 GMT on Thursday) and declared “in reorganization of the judicial system, the Judiciary, the Public Ministry, the National Board of Justice (JNJ) and the Constitutional Court (TC)”.
(Also: Crisis in Peru: Pedro Castillo, arrested after dissolving Congress)
The announcement caused a political and social crisis. The Peruvian sol fell as much as 1.7% against the dollar after the announcement, the biggest intraday decline since July last year. Dollar-denominated bonds were the worst performers among emerging markets, with the centennial bond falling 1.3 cents to 60 cents on the news.
Peru’s benchmark stock index lost 2.4% to the lowest level in more than a month.
Before the vote, the Joint Command of the Armed Forces (CCFFAA) and the Peruvian National Police (PNP) warned that they would not abide by any act contrary to the constitutional order.
As it was known, Pedro Castillo left the Government Palace in Lima, accompanied by his relatives and without offering statements to the media, with a destination still unknown. Minutes later, he was detained by the authorities of the city of Lima.
(Keep reading: The institutional crisis that has Peru on the ropes)
At the moment, citizens of Lima celebrate with horns and whistles the news of the removal of President Castillo.
What comes after the vote?
As recalled by the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, the resolution that approves the vacancy of the president must be published in one of the newspapers with the largest national circulation within 24 hours of the vote.
(Also: Peru: why does the prosecution accuse Pedro Castillo of leading a criminal network?)
This comes into force after being communicated to the head of state, the president of the Council of Ministers or from the time it is published, according to El Comercio.
ANGIE RUIZ HURTADO
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from agencies
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