Peru: Congress Passes Constitutional Complaint Against Castillo

The Peruvian Congress approved on Friday, with 59 votes in favor, 23 against and three abstentions, a constitutional complaint against former President Pedro Castillo for the alleged crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling and collusion.

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Thus, the Attorney General, Patricia Benavides, who filed the constitutional complaint in October last year, has the green light to formalize the investigation and initiate criminal proceedings against the former Peruvian President.

Today's session also approved the constitutional complaints against the former Minister of Transportation and Communications, Juan Silva Villegas (87 votes in favor), and the former Minister of Housing, Construction and Sanitation, Geiner Alvarado López (80 votes in favor).

Silva Villegas, accused of the alleged crimes of criminal organization and conspiracy, remains unaccounted for since mid-2022. Alvarado López is accused of the alleged crime of criminal organization.

With 59 votes in favor, the Plenary of Congress approved the draft Legislative Resolution of Congress, for which ex-president Pedro Castillo is accused. The file will be sent to the National Prosecutor to proceed in accordance with its powers.

Pedro Castillo's defense during the Plenary Session of Congress was assumed by his attorney Eduardo Pachas as his request to provide his defense in person was denied.

The former leftist President remains detained in the prison of Barbadillo in Lima after his dismissal by Congress last December 7. Since then, the South American country has been going through a social and political crisis marked by anti-government protests against the appointed President, Dina Boluarte.

The police repression has left some 60 people dead in the context of nationwide protests, mainly demanding Boluarte's resignation, the Congress closure and early elections in 2023.