{"id":8002,"date":"2022-12-12T03:08:04","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T08:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinamericasecurityreport.com\/?p=8002"},"modified":"2022-12-12T03:08:04","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T08:08:04","slug":"amid-coup-countercoup-claims-what-really-went-down-in-peru-and-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinamericasecurityreport.com\/?p=8002","title":{"rendered":"Amid Coup, Countercoup Claims \u2013 What Really Went Down in Peru and Why?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Clashes on the streets of Peru. Ernesto Benavides\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Peru has a new president following the ouster of former leader Pedro Castillo<\/a> at the hands of the country\u2019s Congress.<\/em><\/p>\n

His removal followed an attempt by Castillo to cling to power by dissolving a Congress intent on impeaching him. Castillo\u2019s opponents accused him of attempting a coup \u2013 a charge his supporters similarly levied in regards to his removal from office. The day ended with the former president in detention<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Conversation asked Eduardo Gamarra, an expert on Latin American politics at Florida International University<\/a>, to explain the wider context of Peru\u2019s political crisis \u2013 and what could happen next.<\/em><\/p>\n

Can you talk us through the events of Dec. 7, 2022?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a nutshell, President Pedro Castillo thought he was going to be impeached and tried to move ahead of lawmakers by closing down Congress<\/a>. He said he intended to rule by decree and reform the country\u2019s constitutional court and judiciary. In effect, he challenged the armed forces to choose sides.<\/p>\n

But the plan backfired. He announced that he was closing Congress, but Congress refused to be closed down. Instead, lawmakers went ahead with a previously planned impeachment trial and overwhelmingly voted to remove him from power<\/a>. The military for its part rejected Castillo\u2019s ploy.<\/p>\n

Castillo was later arrested on a charge of violating a constitutional order<\/a>. He was replaced by former Vice President Dina Boluarte, who was sworn in as president. Peru\u2019s first female leader intends to serve until 2026.<\/p>\n

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Former President Pedro Castillo was taken into custody. Renato Pajuelo\/AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n

Behind all this was a competition of legitimacy between Congress and the president \u2013 and Congress won.<\/p>\n

How did it come to such a crisis point?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That isn\u2019t easy to explain, and the wider background and political system needs to be understood first.<\/p>\n

Peru has a hybrid system<\/a>, in which both parliament and the presidency split power and can act against each other. So constitutionally, the president can dismiss Congress and call for new elections, and, at the same time, Congress can impeach and remove the president. But there is some ambiguity, and there is a case to say Castillo exceeded his constitutional powers in this instance.<\/p>\n