Peru: Judge orders 18 months detention for former President Pedro Castillo

Lima [Peru], December 16 (ANI): Peru’s Supreme Court Judge Juan Carlos Checkley, on Thursday (local time), ordered former President Pedro Castillo to remain in pre-trial detention for 18 months after his arrest last week, Andina, Peru News Agency reported.
The Prosecutor’s Office requested 18 months of pre-trial detention against Pedro Castillo and Anibal Torres, former Prime Minister, to ensure the presence of the accused during this stage, the intermediate stage, and the trial.
Castillo was arrested on December 8 as the authorities investigate charges of “rebellion and conspiracy” against him.
After the judicial resolution was read, the Prosecutor’s Office appealed Judge Checkley’s decision, to the extent that it imposed a restricted summons for Anibal Torres and insisted on the pre-trial detention requirement, according to Andina.
Meanwhile, Castillo’s arrest sparked deadly unrest in the South American nation after which Peru’s new President Dina Boluarte declared a 30-day state of emergency nationwide on Wednesday. The protest resulted in eight deaths and dozens of injured police and civilians. According to the Finance Ministry, Peru is losing up to USD 26 million a day because of the strikes and roadblocks, Peruvian Times reported.
“We want to generate a dialogue with you, brothers and sisters, we know that the nation’s needs have been unattended for a very long time, we want to attend to them, but within peace, concord and brotherhood,” Boluarte said.
Protestors include supporters of the ex-President, demanding his reinstatement and his release from custody, and every facet of protest included the demand to close Congress and call for new elections, according to Peruvian Times.
Last week, Peru’s Vice President Dina Boluarte became the new President.
This decision of the Congress came shortly after Pedro Castillo announced that he would dissolve the legislature and install an emergency government. Police have detained Pedro Castillo in Lima, CNN reported citing a source with knowledge of the case.
A majority of 101 members in Peru’s 130-person Congress voted to impeach Castillo on Wednesday. Notably, Pedro Castillo was elected as Peru’s President in July 2021. He faces five preliminary criminal investigations on allegations of ‘masterminding corruption schemes’ while in office, as per a CNN report.
Peru’s Constitutional Court President Francisco Morales called on Vice President Dina Boluarte to assume the presidency in a speech before the congressional vote, according to CNN. Before the congressional impeachment vote, Boluarte rejected Castillo’s legislature dissolution plan.
Dina Boluarte on Twitter wrote, “I reject Pedro Castillo’s decision 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,” as per the CNN report.
Seven cabinet ministers, including Minister of Environment Wilbert Rozas, Finance Minister Kurt Burneo, Foreign Relations Minister Cesar Landa, and Justice Minister Felix Cher have resigned from their posts. (ANI)