More than 60 of the 130 members of Peru’s Congress on Tuesday presented a motion to open impeachment proceedings against leftist President Pedro Castillo, alleging his “moral incapacity” to exercise power.
The impeachment drive is the third in the 16 months since Castillo assumed power amid wide-ranging political conflicts in the South American nation.
The motion, as carried by local media, said Castillo demonstrated “serious ethical faults” that make him unsuitable for the office.
Like the two previous moves to oust Castillo, his political opposition may prove unable to rally the necessary votes.
Tuesday’s vote would open the door to a possible formal debate about Castillo’s capacity. In that debate, Castillo would have the right to testify and present a legal defense within a 10-day window.
The constitution requires 87 votes in Congress to remove a sitting president from office, a number that analysts say may be beyond the reach of the opposition.
The last impeachment attempt, which unfolded in March, only obtained 55 votes. A previous one in December 2021 never gained the votes for a formal debate in Congress.
Tensions are rising between Castillo’s leftist administration and Congress, which is largely in the hands of right-wing parties.
A 53-year-old teachers’ union leader, Castillo claimed last month that “a parliamentary coup” was in the offing, and sought for a mission from the Organization of American States (OAS) to intervene.
An OAS mission came to Lima last week and urged the parties to settle the ongoing political crisis through dialogue.
Agence France-Presse
