Peruvian Congress Inaugurates Dina Boluarte as First Woman President, Pedro Castillo Arrested After Impeachment

JAKARTA - The Peruvian Congress swore in Dina Boluarte as the new president on Wednesday in a day of political drama that saw former leader, Pedro Castillo, arrested after being ousted from office, in an impeachment trial hours after trying a last-ditch effort to stay in power by seeking to dissolve Congress.

Ignoring Castillo's attempts to shut down the legislature by decree, lawmakers continued with their previously planned impeachment trial, with 101 votes in favor of removing him, six against, and 10 abstentions.

The results were announced to great cheers, with the legislature calling Vice President Dina Boluarte into office.

The 60-year-old Boluarte will serve as president until 2026, making her the first woman to lead Peru.

He called for a political ceasefire after months of instability that had seen two previous impeachment attempts, saying a new cabinet spanning all political stripes would be formed.

Boluarte denounced Castillo's move to dissolve Congress as an "attempted coup d'etat", citing Reuters, December 8.

The Public Ministry said late on Wednesday that Castillo had been detained and charged with the crime of "rebellion", for violating the constitutional order.

Castillo has previously said he would temporarily close Congress, launch an "exempt government", and call for new legislative elections.

That sparked the resignation of his ministers amid angry accusations from opposition politicians and their allies that he was trying to stage a coup.

Meanwhile, the Police and Armed Forces warned him that the means he was taking to try to dissolve Congress were unconstitutional and police said they had "stepped in" to fulfill their duties.

Several small street protests took place. In Lima, dozens of people waved Peruvian flags cheering Castillo's downfall, while elsewhere in the capital and in the city of Arequipa, his supporters marched and clashed with police. One of them was holding a sign that said: "Pedro, people with you."

The Government and Congress palaces in Lima were surrounded by metal barricades, while dozens of police officers stood by with plastic shields and helmets.

Peru has been in political turmoil for years, with many leaders accused of corruption, frequent impeachment attempts and a shortened presidential term.

The most recent legal battle began in October, when the prosecutor's office filed a constitutional challenge against Castillo, for allegedly leading a "criminal organization" to profit from state contracts and obstructing investigations.

Congress summoned Castillo last week to respond to accusations of his "moral inability" to govern.

Castillo called the accusations "slanderous" by a group trying to "take advantage, seize the power that the people took away from them at the polls."

Previously, the 53-year-old leftist guru-turned-president had survived two previous impeachment attempts since he began his term in July 2021.

But after Wednesday's attempt to dissolve Congress, its allies deserted it and regional powers underscored the need for democratic stability.