MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru's Parliament to debate impeaching President Castillo, yet again

It will be the second impeachment attempt against Castillo, who has been in office since July 28

Peru's Congress Monday passed by 76 voted in favor, 41 against, and one abstention a motion to debate the impeachment of President Pedro Castillo Terrones for “permanent moral unfitness” to hold office.

The debate on the so-called “motion to vacate” will be held March 28, Speaker María del Carmen Alva announced. But this coming Tuesday, March 15, Castillo will appear before Parliament to exercise his right to a defense.

This is a second impeachment motion filed against Castillo. The previous one late last year failed to yield the necessary number of votes (87) to remove the head of state from his office. In 2020, the one-House Legislature did reach the required number of votes against then-President Martín Vizcarra.

This time around, charges against Castillo range from the “questionable” appointments of at least 10 ministers, the alleged existence of a shadow cabinet, and the President's statements in an interview with CNN regarding his intention to call a referendum to grant an exit to the sea to Bolivia.

The motion also mentions alleged influence-peddling in police and military bids and promotions, as well as the allegations of a businesswoman who has linked Castillo to a group suspected of being involved in acts of corruption.

Cabinet Chief Anibal Torres had heralded that Castillo wanted to announce new State measures, including “some surprise ones,” as a result of “the political insecurity” that “is causing a lot of damage”.

Opposition parliamentarians reportedly would not have the necessary votes to vacate Pedro Castillo, according to press reports in Lima.

Castillo's message to Congress has been approved by the Council of Ministers, it was also reported.

In a TV interview, Torres also announced that Castillo will ask to leave aside the confrontations between both branches of government: “The important announcement is the one we have made in Congress, that we must leave these confrontations and start working for the general interest, because the political uncertainty about facts that are said to have taken place, but of which there is no proof, only aims at damaging the country,” he said.

“It is necessary for the President to go to Congress and from there give a Message to the Nation about what he has done, about what he plans to do...,” Torres went on.