Peruvian President Impeached, Detained Following Attempt To Dissolve Congress Transcript

Tonight, Peru’s democracy is on the brink after a day of political chaos. It began with president Pedro Castillo trying to dissolve Peru’s congress and install an emergency government. That prompted a string of cabinet resignations and international condemnation, the US Ambassador urging Castillo to reverse his attempt to shut down congress and allow Peru’s democratic institutions to function according to the constitution. Hours later, congress began its session with lawmakers singing the national anthem, later voting to impeach Castillo, announcing that vice president Dina Boluarte would be the new leader of Peru. This afternoon, she was sworn in, the first woman to reach the presidency in Peru’s more than 200 years as an independent republic.

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Late today, the national police tweeted out a photo of Castillo being detained.

It was a threat to democracy, but in fact, democracy won out, the constitution won out, because none of the institutions that he would’ve needed to govern as a dictator were going to support him.

His ouster coming after years of political crises. Narrowly elected in July of 2021, Castillo’s administration had been chaotic with dozens of ministers appointed, replaced, or resigned in little over a year. The former school teacher from rural Peru had survived two previous impeachment attempts. According to polls, his popularity had even risen slightly. But he’s also faced a slew of corruption investigations, looking into whether he used his position to benefit himself, his family, and close allies. He’s repeatedly denied all the allegations against him and blasted his critics.

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Saying they intend to blow up democracy and disregard our people’s right to choose. Although Castillo is Peru’s first president to be investigated while still in office, nearly every former president in the last 40 years have been charged with corruption.

I think there’s a message here also that whether it’s left or whether it’s right wing, corruption is something people are fed up with also. And president Castillo, he promised to clean up things and rule against the elite and not rob from the till, and evidence is building up that in fact he and his inner circle did just that. And I think the message here is the public doesn’t want to see that and doesn’t tolerate that.

An international summit that was scheduled to be held next week in Lima has now been postponed amid the political turmoil.