Peru Congress votes to debate President Castillo's impeachment
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Loading... - Chris Walker
- 15 Mar 2022
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Peru’s Congress has approved the start of impeachment proceedings against left-wing President Pedro Castillo over allegations of corruption.
The opposition-led Congress voted 76-41 on Monday to begin the political trial. “The motion [to debate] was admitted,” said Congress President Maria del Carmen Alva, an opposition legislator.
Castillo or his lawyer must attend Congress on March 28 and present their defence before lawmakers will debate and have a final vote on the impeachment.
Legislators will need 87 votes to remove Castillo from office following the impeachment trial.
The development comes as Castillo has seen his popularity plunge to 26 percent since taking office in July, according to an Ipsos poll released during the weekend. Lawmakers are zeroing in on the testimony of a lobbyist who has alleged to prosecutors that Castillo engaged in irregular acts.
The opposition alleges that Castillo, who denies the accusations, is morally unfit to govern.
“The president must immediately explain to the country his repeated misconduct,” said conservative legislator Jorge Montoya, a retired general.
The opposition also accuses Castillo of “treason” for saying he was open to a referendum on allowing landlocked neighbour Bolivia access to the Pacific Ocean.
The attempt to oust Castillo is promoted mainly by three right-wing parties, including Popular Force, led by former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, who lost last year’s elections to Castillo.
A similar previous attempt to start impeachment proceedings in December failed to gather enough votes in Congress.
In a speech at a public event on Monday, Castillo said he would go to Congress on Tuesday to deliver a message about “what we are doing, and to say what we will do, for this nation”. Read More…
