Monthly Updates
December 2023
On 7 December, 101 out of 130 members of Congress voted to impeach then-President Pedro Castillo, soon after he announced the dissolution of Congress, alleging that the legislative body had been obstructing his ability to govern. Castillo had been the subject of multiple investigations by Congress and the Attorney General’s office for corruption-related offenses. Castillo was detained and is facing criminal charges. He maintains his commitment to fulfilling his constitutional mandate as president and has sought political asylum in Mexico. Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and Mexico have expressed their backing of Castillo. Dina Boluarte, until then Vice-President, assumed the presidency on the evening of his impeachment. Castillo’s supporters have protested throughout the country calling for early elections. On 14 December, Boluarte declared a country-wide state of emergency for 30 days and the suspension of rights with a view to restoring order. Violent clashes between protesters and police, particularly in the southern Andean region, have resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.
November 2022
A high-level delegation from the Organization of American States (OAS) visited Peru in November, pursuant to a resolution from its Permanent Council and after the request of President Pedro Castillo regarding the implementation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter with a view to “preserving the democratic political institutional process and the legitimate exercise of power in Peru”. The delegation met with multiple stakeholders and members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. It also met with the country’s Attorney General and will present a report on its findings. Last month, President Castillo sought the intervention of the OAS and denounced investigations into his administration from the country’s top prosecutor, as well as the filing of a constitutional complaint against him as a new type of coup.
October 2022
Peru’s chief prosecutor presented Congress a constitutional complaint against President Pedro Castillo for corruption-related offences; it is the first time a sitting president faces a constitutional complaint, a procedure that allows officials with immunity to face accusations for certain offences. Some experts have pointed out that the constitution only permits a sitting president to be charged with specific crimes such as treason. In response, Castillo has argued that such an investigation amounts to a “new modality of a coup”. He requested the Organization of American States (OAS) to implement the Inter-American Democratic Charter which states, among other provisions, that in cases of risk to legitimate exercise of power, member states can request assistance from the OAS to preserve their democratic system. On 20 October the OAS’s Permanent Council adopted a resolution in which a high-level group was appointed to visit Peru and analyse the situation.
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GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021
Government
Rights
Government
Administration
Engagement
Basic Information
Human Rights Treaties
State party
Signatory
No action
Early Warning System BETA
Moderate risk of democratic breakdown (BETA)
Moderate risk of democratic backsliding (BETA)