MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru: Pedro Castillo detained by police after coup attempt

The State Attorney, Daniel Soria, has already filed a criminal complaint against Castillo for the unconstitutional measure adopted

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was arrested by the authorities after he dissolved the Congress of Peru on Wednesday. The accused as the leader of a “criminal organization” was approached in the street, in downtown Lima, by police officers when he was leaving the Government headquarters, it was reported by local media.

Ciudadanos intervinieron caravana que trasladaba a Pedro Castillo, ahora presidente destituido de Perú.

En estos momentos está detenido en la sede de la Región Policial Lima en la avenida España, en Lima.

(Vía @PBOPeru)pic.twitter.com/3UVF18deC2

— Joaquín López-Dóriga (@lopezdoriga) December 7, 2022

Hours before Congress was to vote on a new motion to depose Pedro Castillo Terrones as President of Peru, the incumbent head of state Wednesday dissolved Parliament and announced he was starting an “emergency government.”

Read also: Castillo stages coup d'état in Peru, announces emergency gov't

“The following measures are dictated: temporarily dissolve the Congress of the Republic and establish an exceptional emergency government; convene in the shortest time possible a new Congress with constituent powers to draw up a new Constitution in a period of no more than nine months,” Castillo said in a broadcast message.

Castillo also pledged to call for new elections at the earliest to form a new Congress with constituent powers to draft a new Constitution in no longer than nine months. In the meantime, Peru will be ruled “by means of decree laws,” Castillo announced.

The State Attorney, Daniel Soria, has already filed a criminal complaint against Castillo for the unconstitutional measure adopted. He announced the dissolution of the Parliament during a video-broadcasted message to the Nation.

While this was happening, the Legislative voted in an extraordinary session, and without debate, the presidential vacancy. The dismissal of the current President of the Republic was approved with 101 votes in favor. Despite the serious situation of the country, there were abstentions and votes against.