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Castillo Risks Being Toppled by Impeachment Vote: Peru Timeline
(Bloomberg) -- Pedro Castillo went from being a virtually unknown former school teacher to president of Peru last year, in one of the quickest ascents in political history. He now risks being ousted less than 18 months later.
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On Wednesday, Castillo faces the third attempt by opposition lawmakers to remove him for “permanent moral incapacity.” At least 87 of the 130 lawmakers would need to vote to eject him from the presidency, in which case Vice President Dina Boluarte would take over as head of state.
On Dec. 1, 72 members of the unicameral congress voted to push ahead with the latest impeachment attempt. Peru’s constitution makes it easier to oust a head of state than it is almost anywhere else. Another president, Martin Vizcarra, was impeached in November 2020.
Listen to a conversation about Peru’s volatile politics
Here are some highlights from Castillo’s rocky presidency:
April 2021: Assets Plunge
Peru’s bonds, stocks, and currency plunged when Castillo defied polls to unexpectedly win the first round of Peru’s presidential election. In July, he was finally declared the winner of the runoff vote, beating Keiko Fujimori by 50.1% to 49.9% after six weeks of revisions and allegations of fraud. He took office on July 28 and further spooked investors by naming Guido Bellido as prime minister. Bellido, a member of Castillo’s socialist Peru Libre party, had never held public office and described Cuba’s communist regime as a democracy.
August 2021: First Minister Quits
Just three weeks after the inauguration, Foreign Minister Hector Bejar resigned, denounced for spreading conspiracy theories blaming Peru’s navy for terrorist atrocities. The frequent loss of ministers to various scandals over the next few months created a near-permanent sense of crisis around the Castillo administration. At the start of September, the nation’s credit rating was downgraded a notch to Baa1 by Moody’s Investors Service.
October 2021: Supporters Slam New Cabinet
Castillo appointed a new cabinet to try to improve relations with congress. The move was popular with investors, especially since it meant the departure of Prime Minister Bellido, but the changes angered Castillo’s left-wing base. Another political crisis came to the boil as Castillo’s own party, Peru Libre, dropped its support for the government over the new cabinet. Shortly after, Peru’s credit rating was cut a notch, to BBB, by Fitch Ratings.
December 2021: First Impeachment Vote
The nation had narrowly avoided a constitutional crisis in November when the cabinet won a vote of confidence in congress. Also that month, anti-corruption investigators searched the presidential palace as part of a probe into influence-peddling by a Castillo aide.
In December, congress rejected an attempt by opposition lawmakers to impeach Castillo, by 76 votes to 46 with four abstentions. The president had secured last-minute pledges of support from key groups in congress.
February 2022: Fourth Prime Minister Named
Castillo named Hector Valer as his new prime minister, a day after his second premier, Mirtha Vasquez, quit. Valer resigned after four days following accusations of domestic abuse. Castillo then named Anibal Torres as his fourth prime minister since July.
Castillo denied allegations made by a businesswoman, Karelim Lopez, under investigation for money laundering, that he was involved in irregularities over the bidding process for a bridge contract.
Read more: Peru’s President Names His Fourth Prime Minister Since July
March 2022: Second Impeachment Vote
Congress opened a second impeachment process against Castillo, again for “permanent moral incapacity,” citing Lopez’s allegations. Castillo’s opponents obtain just 55 votes. S&P Global ratings cut the nation’s credit rating a notch to BBB, citing political instability it said was undermining investor confidence and the country’s growth outlook.
Read more: Castillo Survives Second Impeachment Bid
April 2022: Inflation Protests
Days after surviving the impeachment attempt, Castillo was confronted by mass unrest as truckers and farmers angry about the rising cost of fuel and fertilizers protest. The president’s popularity continued to plunge as inflation accelerated to its fastest pace in a quarter of a century.
Read more: Castillo’s Support Plunges After Inflation Riots
A congressional subcommittee started a treason investigation against Castillo for telling CNN he would consider ceding territory to Bolivia if voters were to approve that in a referendum.
October 2022: Organized Crime Probe
Prosecutor General Patricia Benavides accused Castillo of running a criminal organization from the presidential palace after five former aides were arrested. Castillo called the investigation a coup attempt.
Read more: Top Prosecutor’s Castillo Investigation Sparks New Peru Upheaval
November 2022: Fourth Prime Minister Goes
The Constitutional Tribunal struck down the treason investigation as unfounded. Castillo’s fourth prime minister, Anibal Torres, quit after congress rejected a vote of confidence he presented. Castillo appointed cabinet minister Betssy Chavez, also subject of graft investigations, as his fifth prime minister.
Read more: Peru Leader Escalates Congress Dispute With Prime Minister
December 2022: Third Impeachment Vote
Congress approved a third impeachment trial, again for alleged “permanent moral incapacity,” now based on the prosecution’s investigation. The president will defend himself before congress on Wednesday, or send a lawyer to do so. More than two thirds of lawmakers would need to back the motion for Castillo to be removed.
Read more: Peru Congress Approves Impeachment Attempt Against Castillo
--With assistance from Oscar Medina.
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