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Castillo resigns as member of party that took him to Peru's presidency

In case of another impeachment attempt, who will vote to keep Castillo in office?

Peru's President Pedro Castillo Terrones has resigned from Perú Libre, the party under which he ran for office and beat Keiko Fujimori's Fuerza Popular in last year's runoff. Castillo's enrolment as a party member dated from Sept. 30, 2020.

“I am respectful of the party and its bases,” said Castillo upon turning in his resignation, which had been requested by party founder and leader Vladimir Cerrón. (Read also: https://en.mercopress.com/2022/06/30/peru-s-president-wanted-out-of-the-political-party-that-took-him-to-the-job )

Cerrón, who was banned from running for the presidency after being sentenced for corruption, insisted Castillo needed to depart from the political party and had already opened “an administrative disciplinary process” against the head of state, who was accused of implementing policies contrary to the political movement's ideology.

“Today I have submitted to the National Jury of Elections my irrevocable resignation to the political party Perú Libre. Such a decision obeys my responsibility as president of 33 million Peruvians. I am respectful of the party and its bases built in the campaign,” wrote Castillo on Twitter.

“It is necessary to highlight that the policies undertaken by his government are not consistent with what was promised in the electoral campaign and even less with the program and ideology of the party, implementing the losing neoliberal program,” a statement from Peru Libre dated June 28 read.

In statements to the press, Castillo tanked Cerron's political organization for its endorsement, with which he landed at the Presidential Palace in June 2021. “I am very grateful to Perú Libre for having welcomed us in this contest that has led us to triumph in the framework of this campaign. In the next few hours, I will give an answer, understanding that Peru is above all. From here I call on all political forces to come to an agreement and work for democracy,” Castillo had said before announcing his response to the party's request.

Peru Libre and Pedro Castillo took separate paths after Castillo's policies followed his own instincts rather than the party mandates, which was reflected in the appointment of various officials in key offices of his administration. It also resulted in Peru Libre's Congressional fracture: The party had initially 37 lawmakers, but 21 of them resigned in less than a year, and several of them formed new alliances with groups such as Perú Democrático, Bloque Magisterial de Concertación Nacional (Pedro Castillo's group) and Perú Bicentenario.

Congresswoman Margot Palacios said Castillo had offered several PL parliamentarians ministerial positions in exchange for leaving Vladimir Cerron's party, it was reported.