Peru's Castillo dissolves Congress, declares state of emergency
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Peruvian President Pedro Castillo says he will rule by decree.
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Peruvian President Pedro Castillo
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announced on Wednesday the temporary dissolution of Congress and said he would rule by decree, just hours before a vote was scheduled on his impeachment.
Castillo said he established an emergency government to replace the right-wing dominated and highly unpopular Congress of the Republic and announced snap congressional elections following a failed impeachment attempt against him by the far-right Fuerza Popular.
The head of state has been facing non-stop accusations over allegations of corruption and accused of heading a criminal organization, accusations which he all denies.
"This intolerable situation cannot continue," Castillo said in a televised address.
He said he would form a new Congress "as soon as possible to draft a new Constitution within a period of no more than nine months."
"From this date and until the new Congress is established, the country will be governed by decree law. A national curfew is decreed as of today from 10:00pm to 4:00am."
He also announced the "reorganization of the justice system, the judiciary powers of the public ministry, the national board of justice and the constitutional court."
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Despite the absence of evidence to support the corruption case, Castillo is now being accused by right-wing politicians of carrying out a coup.
"President Pedro Castillo has carried out a coup. He has violated Article 117 of the Peruvian Constitution and has become illegal. This is a self-coup," political analyst Augusto Alvarez told AFP.
Ever since Castillo assumed the presidency, Congress has repeatedly been calling for his ouster based on "moral incapacity"; a phrase that's been used before to overthrow presidents in Peru.
He is currently under investigation in six corruption cases, which he all denies.
"I have never stolen from my country, I am not corrupt," he said on Tuesday.
