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Peru's impeached president reportedly taken into custody after he tried to dissolve the legislature and install his own government

Dec 8, 2022, 04:22 IST
Business Insider
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo.AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File
  • Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was reportedly detained after being ousted from office Wednesday.
  • The embattled president had announced he would dissolve the nation's Congress.
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Embattled Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was reportedly detained on Wednesday after being ousted from office after he announced he would dissolve the nation's congress.

Castillo was taken into custody by police in Peru's capital city of Lima after lawmakers voted to remove him from office, CNN en Español reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.

Peru's Congress voted 101-6 with 10 abstentions to impeach Castillo and replace him with Vice President Dina Boluarte on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Associated Press.

Boluarte was officially sworn into office, making her the first woman to serve as Peru's president.

Castillo's outsing and detainment comes after he called for new legislative elections and said he would install an emergency government during a televised address from the presidential palace earlier Wednesday.

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During his speech, Castillo also called for the country's constitution to be rewritten in the speech just before he was set to face a third impeachment trial.

"In response to the clamor from citizens throughout the country, we make the decision to establish an emergency government aimed at restoring the rule of law and democracy," Castillo said, Reuters reported.

Peru's National Police said in a tweet on Wednesday after Castillo's announcement: "We reject the breach of the constitutional order, and we encourage the population to respect the Political Constitution and to maintain the calm. Also, trust in the state institutions."

Castillo, who assumed office more than a year ago and survived two previous impeachment attempts, said in his speech that he would rule by decree and declared a national nightly curfew starting Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

Castillo's foes in Congress have claimed that he has shown a "permanent moral incapacity" to govern, according to the AP.

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A certain portion of Congress, Castillo said in his speech, "has as its only agenda item removing me from office because they never accepted the results of an election that you, my dear Peruvians, determined with your votes," the AP reported.

Castillo's announcement had prompted resignations by multiple cabinet members including, Foreign Affairs Minister Cesar Landa.

"I have decided to irrevocably resign from the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, given the decision of President Castillo to close Congress... violating the Constitution," said Landa, according to Reuters.

Castillo is currently facing several ongoing investigations alleging corruption.

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