Lima: Peruvian politician Dina Boluarte was sworn as interim president on Thursday AEDT, hours after Pedro Castillo was removed in an impeachment trial during a day of high political drama in the Andean nation.
Boluarte, elevated from vice president, becomes Peru’s first ever female president, following Castillo’s attempt to dissolve the legislature by decree to avoid the impeachment vote, which sparked a wave of resignations by ministers and criticism from allies.
Dina Boluarte at the APEC Economic Leaders meeting in Thailand in November. Credit:Getty
Earlier, lawmakers moved ahead with the previously planned impeachment trial ignored Castillo’s attempt to shut down Congress. There were 101 votes in favour of removing Castillo, six against and 10 abstentions.
The result was announced with loud cheers and the legislature called for Boluarte to take office.
Peru’s national police shared an image on Twitter of Castillo sitting unrestrained at a police station after the vote to remove him and said that it had “intervened” to fulfil its duties. It referred to Castillo as “ex-president”. It was unclear if he had been detained.
Detained: Peruvian President Pedro CastilloCredit:AP
Castillo earlier had said he would temporarily shut down Congress, launch a “government of exception” and called for new legislative elections.
That sparked resignations by key ministers from Castillo’s government and allegations of a “coup” by opposition members and allies. The police and Armed Forces warned him that the route he had taken to try to dissolve Congress was unconstitutional.
Congress summoned Castillo last week to respond to accusations of “moral incapacity” to govern. The prosecutor’s office in October filed a constitutional complaint against Castillo for allegedly leading “a criminal organisation” to profit from state contracts and for obstructing investigations.
