Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/LIMA: In a dramatic turn of political drama, authorities arrested former Peru president Pedro Castillo after he was ousted from office through an impeachment trial hours before his last-ditch attempt to remain in power by dissolving Congress.
Soon after his impeachment through a parliamentary trial with 106 votes favouring his removal from office and six against, lawmakers invited Vice-President Dina Boluarte to form the government. Later, Boluarte was sworn into office while police arrested leftist leader Pedro Castillo, who had attempted to shut down parliament through a decree before the lawmakers foiled his attempt and moved ahead with the trial and impeached him from office.
Pedro Castillo Impeachment Results
After the impeachment results were announced to thunderous cheers of lawmakers, the legislature invited Vice President Dina Boluarte to take office, who was later sworn in as the new president till 2026.
Boluarte, 60, became the first female president to lead the country. Soon after taking the oath, Boluarte called for a calm and political truce after months of chaos and instability. She said that her cabinet would be all-inclusive, having members of all political stripes.
In her first speech as president, Boluarte came down hard on Castillo for attempting to dissolve Congress.
Later, Peru’s public ministry said that 53-year-old leftist teacher-turned-former-president Pedro Castillo had been detained on charges of ‘rebellion’ and ‘conspiracy’ and breaking the constitutional order.
Television outlets showed Castillo leaving a police station to a police-run prison.
Earlier, Castillo said he would temporarily shut down Congress and call for new elections. The announcement led to the resignation of his ministers amid serious accusations from both of his allies and opposition.
