CNN
—
Peru’s expelled former president Pedro Castillo will remain in pretrial detention for 18 months, ordered by the country’s Supreme Court on Thursday, as crowds of his supporters protested outside the courthouse and across the country. .
Castillo, a former teacher and union leader from rural Peru, was removed from office last week after he tried to dissolve parliament and install an emergency government.
Since then, he has been accused of mutiny and conspiracy, which he denies.
Supreme Court Justice Juan Carlos Checkley said the lengthy detention was part of the case after prosecutors warned the former president could seek asylum abroad and said the investigation would take 18 months. He said it reflected complexity and the possibility of escape. Castillo’s lawyers say the former leader is not at risk of flight.
Castillo himself did not speak in court. But at another hearing earlier this week, he defended his actions, saying, “I have never been guilty of conspiracy or rebellion,” and that he still considers himself president. added.
“I will never resign or abandon this cause,” he said at the time.
Since his dismissal, Castillo’s supporters have taken to the streets in cities across the Andes in what some protesters called a “national rebellion”.
A protester in Lima on Thursday, referring to Castillo’s successor and former vice president, Dina Boluarte, said: “Peru has declared a state of riot, a state of national riot, because we will seize power. “Because there is no obligation to submit to the government,” he said. hours after the impeachment of her former boss, the position of president by Congress.
Another protester said Peru’s judicial system was “corrupt” and Castillo’s detention was a kidnapping.
“(Castillo) has been kidnapped. We are outraged. It is a national rebellion in Peru,” she told news agency Reuters.
At least 20 people died during the demonstrations. At least 340 people were injured in the disturbance, according to the Ombudsman’s office on Thursday.
Hundreds of tourists are stranded at Machu Picchu due to ongoing protests, Machu Picchu Mayor Darwin Baka told CNN after the Peruvian rail company canceled trains to the area. .
“We asked the government to help us and establish a helicopter flight to evacuate the tourists,” Baca added, adding that the only way to get in and out of town is by train.
Peru’s current government has responded to protesters with both whips and carrots. President Boruarte has hinted at the possibility of early elections, and Defense Minister Luis Alberto Otarola declared a state of emergency this week and deployed troops to the streets.
But efforts to quell the protests so far have seen Peru’s political climate corrupt and unorganized, with protesters accusing Peru’s elite of unfairly overthrowing its elected leaders. seems to fail to address the central dissatisfaction of
Protester Sonia Castaneda told Reuters: “If people in parliament consider themselves very democratic, respect their voices and respect that we voted (for Castillo). please.
Demonstrators are also calling for general elections, the dissolution of Parliament and the creation of a new Constituent Assembly.
Their anger is amplified by some leftist leaders in the region. In a joint statement on Monday, the governments of Colombia, Mexico, Argentina and Bolivia said Castillo had been a victim of “undemocratic harassment” since last year’s election, urging Peru to respect the results of last year’s presidential election. and expressed concern over the fate of Castillo. vote.
Peru responded Thursday by summoning its ambassadors for talks over “interference” in Peru’s “internal affairs,” Foreign Minister Ana Cecilia Gervasi said on social media.
Castillo, who had never held any public office before becoming president, campaigned on promises to redistribute wealth and elevate the country’s poorest.
However, his government was in turmoil, with dozens of ministers appointed, replaced, dismissed or resigned in just over a year. Castillo himself faced multiple corruption investigations and failed two impeachment attempts before being deposed last week.
