The Peruvian Congress is debating whether to open the indictment process against Pedro Castillo

The Peruvian Congress, controlled by the right-wing opposition, will define this Tuesday if it approves the debate over the removal of President Pedro Castillo. This is bringing the country back to a state of instability and uncertainty.

This is the fifth impeachment motion against a president in four years. It is reminiscent of similar demands that led to the downfall of leaders Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2018 and Martin Viscar in 2020.

Debate over the removal of Pedro Castillo

Castillo, who assumed power four months ago, was questioned on a corruption charge Government intervention in military promotions. Thus arose the demand for dismissal.

In this case, in addition, he was summoned to testify before National Attorney Jorida Avalos on December 14th.

There will be 57 votes in Congress to submit the demand for the vacancy due to “moral incompetence” to the debate, 5 more than necessary, according to sources cited by the Peruvian media.

If you agree to the discussion, Castillo He will have to present his case, probably before the full forum next week.

His dismissal will be decided by 130 legislators, who need 87 votes, which his opponents rarely get.

“Wasted vacancy”

“I think Castillo was fired because of the lack of evidence linking him to corruption, but his government continues to be very chaotic without order, equipment, alliances and a lot of inexperience,” Augusto Alvarez Rodrguez, an educator, economist and political analyst at the Universidad del Pacífico, told AFP.

“Castillo needs to form a coalition of political alliances, disciplines and make his government possible because he is a very weak president,” he added.

The motion was tabled by three right-wing parties two weeks ago. One of the parties to the debate was former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori.

Delay in discussion

The discussion should start at 1:00 pm (big time) four hours later than originally scheduled. Then the long debate will begin before the vote.

Debate on the motion was delayed because the entire committee had previously paid tribute to the police and began questioning Education Minister Carlos Gallardo on other issues.

Castillo’s dismissal

Castillo’s dismissal has been in the air since he was elected in June, when rival parties condemned the fraud. This is despite the electoral process being endorsed by OAS and EU observers.

The village teacher called for talks with opposition leaders in the last days in search of protection from a motion “without any support”.

Right-wing Keiko Fujimori and other key leaders refused to talk to him, but moderate opposition leaders spoke.

Election in Peru

Castillo won a close vote against Fujimori and has been persecuted by the opposition since taking office on July 28.

But it also blames its own mistakes and struggles in the ruling party for the resignation of a dozen ministers.

The Marxist party that brought him to power, Peru Libre, allied with Castillo and announced that its 37 parliamentarians, despite differences with the president, would reject the motion.

While Parliament was in session in Lima, President Abourimaz visited the southern Andean regions of Puo.

“Transparency and Management”

If Castillo is removed from office, left-wing lawyer and vice president Tina Boulevard will face a similar fate.

If Boulevard is vacated, the presidency will be occupied by right-wing Maria del Carmen Alva, president of Congress, who will hold elections in six months.

The day before, Alva had asked police to strengthen surveillance around the assembly building and to calm down the crowd during the debate.

“It’s a normal, parliamentary procedure, it’s in any Congress in the world,” he said.

He also denied that she was looking for Castillo. “I did not vote, I am leading the debate, I have no opinion on that,” he added. He reaffirmed that the spirit of the opposition was to “work for transparency, communication and governance” rather than to oust the president.

It was said by Congress to be “morally incapable” of removing Kuczynski (right) and Viscar (middle). Both passed the first indictment, but did not survive the second.

In November 2020, Viskara’s dismissal sparked protests, in which two people were killed and one hundred were newly injured. With his departure Peru won three presidents in five days.