2022 Peruvian self-coup attempt

Not to be confused with Peruvian political crisis (2017–present).

2022 Peruvian self-coup attempt
Part of the 2017–present Peruvian political crisis
President Pedro Castillo calling for the dissolution of the Congress of Peru
Date	7 December 2022 (Presidential recognition debate persists)
Location	Lima, Peru
Caused by	Avoidance of anti-corruption procedures Attempt to create a constituent assembly due to obstructionist policies by Congress
Resulted in	Failure of Castillo attempts Failure to dissolve Congress of Peru Removal and arrest of Pedro Castillo Congress swears in First Vice President Dina Boluarte as President of Peru Start of the pro-Castillo protests
Parties
President of Peru Congress of Peru Constitutional Court of Peru Armed Forces of Peru National Police of Peru First Vice President of Peru
Lead figures
Pedro Castillo Aníbal Torres José Williams Dina Boluarte

On 7 December 2022, the left-wing President of Peru Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve the Congress in the face of imminent impeachment proceedings by the legislative body, which would have been the third impeachment attempt against the President in less than 2 years. Due to broadly interpreted wording in the 1993 Constitution of Peru, the Congress can impeach the President of Peru for "moral incapacicity", while the president can legally dissolve congress only if two cabinets have been denied a vote of confidence. Since the 2021 Peruvian general election, Congress has a significant portion of far-right parties elected to seats in the legislature.

Castillo announced his intention to enact a curfew, establishing an emergency government in which he would rule by decree and calling for a constituent assembly. Since the 2020 Peruvian protests, a sector of the Peruvian population has called for the creation of a constituent assembly. However, the majority of Peruvians do not support a new constitution or the call for a constituent assembly in 2023. Citing the actions of Congress obstructing many of his policies during his administration, Castillo argued that the legislative body served oligopolic businesses and that it had allied itself with the Constitutional Court to destroy the executive branch in an effort to create a "dictatorship of Congress". However, corruption was also uncovered in his administration. The Peruvian authorities would describe the dissolution as a self-coup attempt.

Castillo was impeached on the same day, and de jure ceased to be president after the Constitutional Court rejected his dissolution of Congress. Castillo's vice president Dina Boluarte was sworn in as the new president later in the day and quickly received support from right-wing politicians. Following Castillo's removal, nationwide protests started, demanding his release and Boluarte's resignation. Following widespread unrest through Peru, the Boluarte government announced a national state of emergency on 14 December, temporarily stripping many constitutional protections away from citizens. The decree allowed police to occupy private homes and buildings, restricted the freedom of movement, and suspended freedom of assembly for 30 days. Castillo was placed in "preventive detention" for 18 months to face a trial for rebellion and conspiracy. As a result of the response to the unrest, the new government shot at civilians at Ayacucho and Juliaca.

The attempted dissolution was denounced by right-wing politicians, the Constitutional Court of Peru, Peruvian media and many western news organizations as an attempted coup d'état, with some comparing it to the autogolpe of Alberto Fujimori during the 1992 Peruvian self-coup d'état Representatives of many foreign countries, including Spain, United States, Brazil, Uruguay and the secretary-general of the Organization of American States rejected Castillo's actions and described them as an attempt to break the constitutional order.

On the other hand, the crisis described as a soft-coup by many left-wing politicians and news organizations. Supporters of Castillo allege a soft coup was perpetrated by Congress against him with support from the United States, pointing out that the Defense Minister, who ordered Castillo's arrest, had met with the US Ambassador to Peru Lisa D. Kenna one day before his removal. Many foreign governments, including Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras publicly expressed support for Castillo, refusing to recognize the Boluarte government and viewing Castillo as the legitimate president. Castillo has also continued to consider himself as the legal president of Peru.

On December 29, 2022, the Supreme Court of Peru upheld the decision to keep Pedro Castillo in pre-trial detention for 18 months, while he is investigated on charges of rebellion for attempting to illegally dissolve Congress. Three months later, a judge of the Supreme Court ordered another pre-trial detention to Castillo (for 36 months), this time for corruption charges during his administration.

Background

Obstructive Congress

During the presidencies of Ollanta Humala, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Martín Vizcarra, the Congress was dominated by the opposition Popular Force, the party created by the daughter of the former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko Fujimori, and opposed many of the actions performed by the presidents. The political legacy of the Fujimori family was assumed by Keiko. During their majority in congress, Fujimorists "earned a reputation as hardline obstructionists for blocking initiatives popular with Peruvians aimed at curbing the nation’s rampant corruption" according to the Associated Press. Following the 2021 Peruvian general election, a significant bloc of far-right parties, comprising Go on Country, Popular Force and Popular Renewal, gained power in Congress.

Constitutional crisis and removal of presidents

Main article: 2019–2020 Peruvian constitutional crisis

Presidents Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Martín Vizcarra and Pedro Castillo (left to right) were impeached and targeted for removal by the opposing Congress

In the Constitution of Peru, the executive branch can dissolve congress after a second vote of no-confidence. Under former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Congress held a no-confidence vote on 15 September 2017, resulting in the collapse of his cabinet, the first vote of no-confidence by the current congressional body. President Kuczynski would later face impeachment in December 2017 and March 2018 due to his admitted involvement with Odebrecht during the Operation Car Wash scandal. Following the release of the Kenjivideos reportedly showing Kuczynski making deals with opposition politicians to avoid impeachment votes, President Kuczynski resigned.

Martín Vizcarra, Kuczynski's first vice president, then assumed office in March 2018. President Vizcarra enacted a constitutional process on 29 May 2019 that would create a motion of no confidence towards Congress if they refused to cooperate with his proposed actions against corruption. For the next four months, Congress delayed bills targeting corruption and postponed general elections proposed by Vizcarra. On 30 September 2019, the President of the Council of Ministers, Salvador del Solar, set forth a vote of confidence before the Congress for refusing to pass a bill that modified the election process of judges of the Constitutional Court. The vote of confidence sought to stop the election of magistrates, modify the Organic Law of the Constitutional Court and the designation of the tribunes. However, the Plenary Session of Congress decided to continue with the election of magistrates, and ignored the vote of confidence presented by Del Solar, naming a new member to the Constitutional Court. Many of the Constitutional Court nominees selected by Congress were alleged to be involved in corruption. Notwithstanding the affirmative vote, Vizcarra stated that the appointment of a new member of the Constitutional Court and an ignoring of the confidence motion constituted a de facto vote of no confidence in the government, which would be the second of the legislative term. These actions by Congress, as well as the months of slow progress towards anti-corruption reforms, pushed Vizcarra to dissolve the legislative body on 30 September, with Vizcarra stating "Peruvian people, we have done all we could." Shortly after Vizcarra announced the dissolution of Congress, the legislative body refused to recognize the president's actions, declared Vizcarra as suspended from the presidency, and named Vice President Mercedes Aráoz as the interim president, moves that were largely seen as null and void. By the night of 30 September, Peruvians gathered outside of the Legislative Palace to protest against Congress and demand the removal of legislators while the heads of the Armed Forces met with Vizcarra, announcing that they still recognized him as president and head of the armed forces. On 14 January 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled that the dissolution of Congress by Vizcarra under the given rationale was legal. Snap legislative elections were held on 26 January, with Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force party losing its majority in Congress and most of its seats.

Months later, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, President Vizcarra was impeached in September 2020 though not removed, later being controversially removed from office a month later. Thousands of citizens then gathered in protests against Vizcarra's impeachment. Manuel Merino, who succeeded him as president the following day, resigned on 15 November. Francisco Sagasti was made President of Congress on 16 November and thus succeeded Merino as president on 17 November per the presidential line of succession, since both vice presidential positions were vacated by Vizcarra in 2018 and Mercedes Aráoz in May 2020.

Castillo presidency

Sagasti served as president until Castillo was elected in the 2021 general election, with Keiko Fujimori losing her third consecutive presidential bid. The 2021 election saw many right-wing candidates elected to the congress.

Attempts to remove Castillo

See also: 2021 Peruvian general election § Overturn attempts, Pedro Castillo § Removal attempts, and Vladimiro Montesinos § Vladi-audios

The election will be flipped, dear friends.

—Keiko Fujimori

Multiple attempts to prevent Castillo from entering the office of the presidency or to later remove him occurred, beginning shortly after election results were determined. Following reports of Castillo's apparent victory, Fujimori and her supporters made claims of electoral fraud, leading obstructionist efforts to overturn the election with support of citizens in Lima. Many business groups and politicians refused to recognize Castillo's ascent to the presidency, with those among the more affluent, including former military officers and wealthy families, demanded new elections, promoted calls for a military coup, and used rhetoric to support their allegations of fraud.

Following the 2021 election, audio recordings deemed Vladi-audios were leaked revealing that Vladimiro Montesinos was allegedly involved in at least 17 landline phone calls while imprisoned at the Peruvian Navy's CEREC maximum security prison in an effort to prevent Castillo from entering office and to protect Keiko Fujimori from being imprisoned. In one reported audio, Montesinos mentions a first plan to have Fujimori's husband go to the United States embassy in Lima to present "documentation of the fraud" to the Office of Regional Affairs and Central Intelligence Agency, with Montesinos allegedly saying he already contacted the embassy, that the documents would reach President Joe Biden and that his administration would condemn the election as interference from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, subsequently giving Fujimori's claims of fraud more weight. Right-wing politicians in Peru downplayed the audios of Montesinos. According to IDL-Reporteros, the Navy of Peru was involved in a "lie" when issuing their joint statement, saying that Montesinos was only involved in two phone calls, with IDL asking "How could you not notice the 17 calls and 12 conversations at CEREC, at the Naval Base of the institution with the greatest development in electronic intelligence within the Armed Forces?".

In October 2021, the website El Foco released recordings revealing that leaders of the manufacturing employers' organization National Society of Industries, the leader of the Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM), Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas, political leaders, and other business executives planned various actions, including funding transportation strikes in November 2021, to destabilize the Castillo government and prompt his removal. Far-right groups of former soldiers also allied with political parties like Go on Country – Social Integration Party, Popular Force, and Popular Renewal in an effort to remove Castillo, with some veteran leaders seen directly with Rafael López Aliaga and Castillo's former presidential challenger Keiko Fujimori, who signed the Madrid Charter promoted by the Spanish far-right political party Vox. These groups directed threats towards Castillo government officials and journalists, whilst also calling for a coup d'état and insurgency.

Impeachment attempts

Main article: Third impeachment of Pedro Castillo

From the beginning of his presidency, Castillo was targeted by Congress, dominated by the opposition right-wing parties, whom made it clear that they wanted to remove him from office by impeachment. Due to broadly interpreted impeachment wording in the Constitution of Peru (1993), Congress can impeach the president on the vague grounds of "moral incapacity", effectively making the legislature more powerful than the executive branch.

In November 2021, four months into Castillo's term, Fujimori announced that her party was pushing forward impeachment proceedings, arguing that Castillo was "morally unfit for office". On 25 November 28 legislators from Fujimori's party presented a signed motion of impeachment to Congress, setting up a vote for opening impeachment proceedings. The impeachment proceeding did not occur, as 76 voted against proceedings, 46 were in favor, and 4 abstained, with the requirement of 52 favoring proceedings not met.

In February 2022, it was reported that Fujimorists and politicians close to Fujimori organized a meeting at the Casa Andina hotel in Lima with the assistance of the German liberal group Friedrich Naumann Foundation, with those present including President of Congress Maricarmen Alva, at which plans to remove Castillo from office were discussed. Alva had already shared her readiness to assume the presidency if Castillo were to be vacated from the position and a leaked Telegram group chat of the board of directors of Congress that she heads revealed plans coordinated to oust Castillo.

A second impeachment attempt related to corruption allegations did make it to proceedings in March 2022. On 28 March 2022, Castillo appeared before Congress calling the allegations baseless and for legislators to "vote for democracy" and "against instability", with 55 voting for impeachment, 54 voting against, and 19 abstaining, thus failing to reach the 87 votes necessary.

Public approval of Castillo steadily declined to a record low 20% approval, as his presidency progressed and protests occurred in early 2022 as a result of increasing prices with crises surrounding the president arising steadily. By December 2022, Congress had begun motions to attempt the impeachment of Castillo for a third time; he was involved with six different criminal investigations and had already named five separate cabinets to serve under him.

Attempts to remove Boluarte

For months, opposition politicians attempted to disqualify Boluarte in an effort to assume the presidency upon her removal. On 5 December 2022, just days before Congress was set to vote on impeaching Castillo, a constitutional complaint was filed by the Subcommittee on Constitutional Accusations against Vice President Dina Boluarte, alleging that she operated a private club while she was the Minister of Development. The allegations against Boluarte created the potential for the vice president to face controversy if Castillo were to be impeached.

Military involvement

In the day before the attempt to dissolve Congress, Chief of the Joint Command General Manuel Gómez de la Torre held a meeting with the branch heads of the armed forces of Peru.

No-confidence law

In the Constitution of Peru, the executive branch can dissolve Congress after a second vote of no-confidence. Following the election of Castillo, Congress, with the help of the legislator-elected Constitutional Court of Peru, attempted to limit the power of the executive branch by creating a new law that would only allow a question of confidence to be allowed for government policies, not for constitutional law. The Castillo government would argue that this was unconstitutional, though the Constitutional Court would ultimately side with Congress. When Héctor Valer was named Prime Minister of Peru in February 2022, allegations of domestic violence resulted with Congress not giving him a vote of confidence, with Valer arguing that this was in effect a vote of no-confidence.

Even if the legality of this request for confidence were a matter of debate, a second censure or denial of confidence by Congress in the Council would be required, which has not happened, and which places Castillo's decision to dissolve the legislative body in the realm of illegality.

Background

Main article: 2017–present Peruvian political crisis

The presidency of Peru and the Congress of Peru have been in conflict since the beginning of the tenure of former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2016. On 15 September 2017, Congress passed, by a wide margin, a motion of no confidence against the prime minister and the cabinet, leading to a complete overhaul of the cabinet and appointment of a new prime minister.

Kuczynski resigned from office in March 2018, when the vote-buying Kenjivideos scandal broke. He was replaced by First Vice President, Martín Vizcarra.

Vizcarra made anti-corruption initiatives his main priority, pushing for a constitutional referendum to prohibit private funding for political campaigns, to ban the re-election of lawmakers, and to create a second legislative chamber. Transparency International praised the move: "This is a very important opportunity, one that is unlike previous opportunities because, in part, the president appears genuinely committed."

While Vizcarra pursued actions against corruption, political leader Keiko Fujimori was arrested in October 2018 on money laundering and corruption charges related to the Odebrecht scandal. The Fujimorists of the Popular Forceparty held the majority of seats in the Congress of Peru and had made Vizcarra's efforts complicated since he was vice president. Following the arrest of Fujimori, the Fujimorist-led congress introduced a bill to change Vizcarra's referendum proposals. Peruvians ultimately agreed with almost all of Vizcarra's proposals during the referendum in December 2018.

No-confidence law

In the Constitution of Peru, the executive branch can dissolve Congress after a second vote of no-confidence. The first vote of no-confidence occurred in September 2017.

Demanding reforms in the Constitutional Court organic law, Vizcarra called for a vote of no confidence on 27 September 2019, stating it was "clear the democracy of our nation is at risk". Vizcarra and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights criticized Congress for blocking a proposal for general elections while it quickly approved nominations to the Constitutional Court of Peru without investigating the backgrounds on nominees. Vizcarra sought to reform the Constitutional Court nomination process and Congress' approval or disapproval of his proposal was seen "as a sign of confidence in his administration".

Timeline of events

Preparations

In the weeks before the third impeachment, the media in Peru launched a smear campaign of unsubstantiated claims against President Castillo according to Le Monde diplomatique, with the Latin American Strategic Center for Geopolitics (CELAG) finding that 79% of media articles about Castillo being "negative". On 6 December, it was likely that Congress did not have 87 votes to remove President Castillo from office. President Castillo's attorney, Benji Espinoza, spent the day with the president discussing how to respond to the situation, later stating that during the six hours she spent with him "at no time was the issue of the dissolution of Congress addressed". On the night of that day, the new Minister of Defense, Gustavo Bobbio, informed the Commander General of the Army, Walter Córdova, that by order of Castillo, he should resign as Commander General and that he should write his letter of resignation. That same night, Córdova met with the head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, Manuel Gómez de la Torre and informed him of what had happened. On the morning of December 7, Córdova went to the Government Palace to ask Castillo to explain his retirement, and he replied that "you should resign because you had completed your term". Shortly thereafter, Córdova presented his letter of resignation "for strictly personal reasons" and warned the Armed Forces high command that a plan was being hatched to take power by force. That same day, Chief of the Joint Command General Manuel Gómez de la Torre held a meeting with the branch heads of the armed forces of Peru. During the meeting, General Gómez de la Torre warned the branch heads of a pending conflict, stating "I am responsible. There are no other orders" in case the President requests to close the Congress. Commanding general of the Army of Peru, Wálter Córdova, also submitted his resignation on 6 December, with the submission being approved the next morning.

Dissolution of Congress

On 7 December 2022, Congress was expected to file a motion of censure against Castillo, accusing him of "permanent moral incapacity". Before the legislative body could gather to file its motion, Castillo announced the dissolution of Congress and enacted an immediate curfew. In his speech, Castillo stated:

[T]he majority of Congress, which defends the interests of the big monopolies and oligopolies, has done everything to try to destroy the institution of the presidency ... The Executive has sent to Congress more than 70 bills of national interest with the aim of benefiting the most vulnerable sectors of the population, such as the Massification of Gas, the creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation, Free Admission to Universities, the Second Agrarian Reform, the Tax Reform, the Reform of the Justice System, the elimination of the subsidiary economic activity of the State Congress sought to prosecute the president for treason with unsustainable and absurd arguments from one of constitutionalist jurists, ... Without the slightest evidence, Congress charged the president with crimes many times, often based on claims made by a mercenary, corrupt and cynical press, which defames and slanders in absolute debauchery. However, the congress does not investigate and sanction criminal acts of its own members. Congress has destroyed the rule of law, democracy, separation, and balance of powers by modifying the Constitution with ordinary laws to destroy the Executive and establish a congressional dictatorship with the endorsement, as they themselves state, of the Constitutional Court. ... The following measures are dictated: to temporarily dissolve the Congress of the Republic and establish an exceptional emergency government. Elections will be called for a new Congress with constituent powers to draft a new Constitution within no more than nine months.

At the end of his message, Castillo gave the order to arrest Attorney General Patricia Benavides, who was investigating him for corruption in his administration.

Castillo would later explain his actions, saying that he never attempted to subvert Peru's democracy and only sought "to get closer to the people", stating "I took the flag of the Constituent People's Assembly and gave my speech remembering and being faithful to the people who voted for me, who trusted me. ... I wanted to make the political class understand that popular power is the maximum expression of societies. I didn't want to obey the social economic power groups. I wanted to put the people above all else. ... It was my decision. No one else's. I was nervous, but I did it." He would also say that his ministers were unaware of his announcement.

Reactions

Democratic institutions and civil society quickly rejected Castillo's actions, Moments after Castillo's speech, multiple ministers resigned from his government, including Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, Minister of Labor Alejandro Salas, Minister of the Economy Kurt Burneo, Minister of Foreign Relations César Landa and Minister of Justice Félix Chero. Peru's permanent representatives to the United Nations and to the Organization of American States, Manuel Rodríguez Cuadros and Harold Forsyth, also tendered their resignations. The attorney representing Castillo dropped him as a client, stating: "As a lawyer respectful of the Constitution, I assumed the defense of the President of the Republic presuming his innocence. Since there has been a breach of the constitutional order, I am obliged to irrevocably renounce the defense of citizen Pedro Castillo."

Document of the CCFFAA and PNP rejecting the actions of Castillo

The Constitutional Court released a statement: "No one owes obedience to a usurping government and Mr. Pedro Castillo has made an ineffective coup d'état. The Armed Forces are empowered to restore the constitutional order." The Armed Forces also issued a statement rejecting Castillo's actions and calling for the maintenance of stability in Peru.

According to Anibal Garzon writing for Le Monde, the media in Peru did not report the substance of Castillo's statements, including the rationale for his actions, instead stating that he was attempting a coup. On the other hand, Daniel Lozano, writing for El Mundo, summarizes the facts by pointing out that the rule of law put an end to the self-coup in Peru in two hours.

Resolution

Rejecting Castillo's actions to dissolve the legislative body, Congress gathered and voted to remove Castillo from office due to "moral incapacity" with 101 votes in favor, 6 against and 10 abstentions. It was announced that First Vice President Dina Boluarte, who rejected Castillo's actions, would take her oath of office for the presidency at 3:00 pm PET.

President Castillo then fled the Government Palace and contacted president of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador, raising concerns about political asylum. According to President López Obrador, it was likely that Castillo's phone was tapped by Peruvian intelligence, with the Mexican president reporting that Peruvian authorities entered the grounds of the Mexican embassy to prevent Castillo from entering. Castillo said that he did not seek to leave Peru and only wanted to drop his family off at the Mexican embassy for their safety. Upon learning that Castillo was seeking to enter the Mexican embassy, the general of the PNP learned that his officers were the drivers for Castillo and ordered them to deliver Castillo to the Prefecture where he would be arrested. Individuals gathered outside the Mexican embassy in Lima to block the area upon rumors that Castillo was attempting to flee to seek asylum in Mexico. The PNP officers driving Castillo said that they had to make an emergency detour, later bringing him to the Prefecture where he was greeted by the head of the PNP, who arrested him, in flagrante delicto, for rebellion.

Castillo's vice president Dina Boluarte entered the Legislative Palace shortly after 3:00 pm PET and appeared before Congress, where she was later sworn in as president of Peru. Following Castillo's removal, his supporters started nationwide protests demanding his release and Boluarte's resignation.

Aftermath

Further information: 2022–2023 Peruvian political protests

While Castillo was detained, he denounced a "Machiavellian plan" against him by the National Prosecutor Patricia Benavides, Congress and his former vice president Boluarte. Some Latin American media organizations linked the events to United States Ambassador to Peru Lisa D. Kenna, a former member of the Central Intelligence Agency. Ambassador Kenna had met with Castillo's defense minister, Gustavo Bobbio, the day before the impeachment vote, raising concerns about the United States being involved in the events. Local media also reported that the President of Congress and former head of the Peruvian armed forces, José Williams, allegedly collaborated with Ambassador Kenna.

IDL-Reporteros reported that the right-wing Congress' approval of President Boluarte was weak since they had previously attempted to disqualify her as well. President Boluarte immediately installed the right-wing leader Pedro Angulo Arana as prime minister. According to La República and Voice of America, the U.S. Prime Minister Angulo faces multiple controversies and is involved in 13 criminal investigations, with serious allegations including sexual harassment of women assistants and supporting the actions of César Hinostroza, who illegally asked for favors from magistrate María Apaza and fled from Peru.

Supporters of Castillo were angered at the actions against the former president, demanding immediate general elections and staging nationwide protests. Protests erupted in violence on 11 December near the southern city of Andahuaylas where demonstrators closed the airport, with police in a helicopter reportedly firing upon protesters, killing two individuals. President Boluarte attempted to appease protests by proposing elections two years early, for April 2024, though Castillo supporters rejected the call while Castillo described such actions as a "dirty game". Congress would reject Boluarte's proposal for early elections. However, congress reconsidered the proposal on 21 December and allowed early elections.

Public opinion

Days before the crisis, a poll by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP) showed that 55% of respondents disagreed with Congress' attempt to remove Castillo from office while 43% agreed. The majority of those supporting Castillo's removal resided in Lima while those disagreeing with his impeachment lived in rural areas.

However, after Castillo's attempt to dissolve the Congress, a survey carried out by the company Ipsos Peru between December 15 and 16, 2022, asked the population if they agreed or disagreed with "the coup d'état to close the Congress and intervene the Prosecutor's Office, the Judiciary and the Constitutional Court", 63% of the population disagreed while 33% agreed and 4% did not require any response. Likewise, when asked about the reasons that would have led Pedro Castillo to take said measure, 35% indicated that this was due to the fact that the former president "feared that Congress would vote for the vacancy and remove him from office", 29% attribute it to the fact that " wanted to intervene in the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Judiciary to disappear the tax folders that exist against it", 25% believe that "he wanted to convene a Constituent Assembly" and 22% consider that "he wanted to govern by concentrating power, without Congress". Additionally, in an IEP poll carried out also following Castillo's attempt to dissolve Congress, of respondents, % 53 disapproved of Castillo's actions, 44% disapproved and 3% had no opinion or comment, with the majority of support for Castillo's actions being among rural and lower class Peruvians.

International reactions

Recognition

Nations recognizing presidential governments
  Pedro Castillo
  Dina Boluarte

International recognition of Boluarte's government has been mixed.

Members of the São Paulo Forum like Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Gabriel Boric of Chile recognize Boluarte. The United States has recognized Boluarte as president. Spain was also in support, championing a return to "constitutional order."

Latin American governments, including Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela have continued to recognize that Pedro Castillo as the democratically elected President of Peru and refused to recognize Boluarte. Left-wing Latin American leaders such as Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, Alberto Fernández of Argentina, and Luis Arce of Bolivia denounced Boluarte's government as a right wing coup, comparing the situation as similar to ascension of Bolivia's Jeanine Áñez during the 2019 Bolivian political crisis. The latter presidents continue to support Pedro Castillo's claims he is the rightful president under a "government of exception."

Statements

The regional countries of Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia and Argentina issued a joint statement recording their view that Castillo is "a victim of undemocratic harassment" and pleaded for maintaining his human and legal rights.

• European Union: The European Parliament released a statement which said that: The Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the countries of the Andean Community, Pilar Del Castillo and the Chair of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee, David McAllister wish to express their total and unconditional support for the democratic institutionality and constitutional order, safeguarded thanks to the impeccable and responsible functioning and behaviour of the Peruvian authorities regarding the recent events in the Republic of Peru that led to the constitutional dismissal of President Pedro Castillo given his attempt to dissolve the Congress, They hope and wish that the new constitutional president Dina Boluarte has the support to redirect, through political dialogue and within full respect of the separation and balance of powers, the crisis generated so that Peruvian democracy can emerge from this attack fully revitalised, strengthened, more united and consolidated in defence of democratic values to achieve the highest levels of welfare and development for its citizens.
• Organization of American States: Luis Almagro, Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States, said the constitutional order had been disrupted in Peru and tweeted his “support for “democracy, peace and institutionality in Peru and the urgent need to restore the democratic path in the country”.
• Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch released a statement saying they "categorically condemns former President Pedro Castillo's attempt to undermine the rule of law in Peru" and described the temporary dissolution of Congress, the reorganization of the judiciary and other institutions as "effectively a coup".
• Argentina: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship expressed "deep concern" over the situation in Peru and made a call on "every Peruvian politician" to "protect democratic institutions, the rule of law and constitutional order".
• Bolivia: President Luis Arce condemned the "elite harassment" against "popular governments" after the crisis in Peru, stating that "since the beginning, the Peruvian right tried to overthrow a government democratically elected by the people, by the humble classes that seeked more inclusion and social justice". He also sent his solidarity to "the sister Republic of Peru", criticizing the "constant harassment of anti-democratic elites against progressive, popular and legitimately constituted governments", and asked that "everyone" condemn this situation.
• Brazil: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs classified Castillo's actions as incompatible with the constitutional framework of Peru, representing a violation of democracy and the rule of law. The ministry wished success to Boluarte. The President-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stated that the removal of Castillo was "constitutional" and expressed his hope that President Boluarte succeeds in "her task of reconciling the country and leading it on the path of development and social peace."
• Chile: The government issued a statement which said that it "deeply regrets the political situation that the Republic of Peru is experiencing, and trusts that this crisis that affects a sister country can be resolved through democratic mechanisms and respect for the rule of law".
• Colombia: President Gustavo Petro said that Castillo "allowed himself to be led to political suicide" and that "he was wrong" in wanting to dissolve Congress. He also stressed, however, that "anti-democracy cannot be fought with anti-democracy."
• Ecuador: The Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing "its deep concern about the political situation in the sister country of Peru" and calling "on all political actors to maintain the rule of law and democracy and on the international community to facilitate the democratic process in Peru".
• Honduras: The Foreign Ministry called what happened to Castillo, a coup d'état against him. It published a statement communicating its "energetic condemnation of the coup d'état that occurred in Peru, which is the result of a series of events to erode democracy and the sovereign will of the people represented by President Pedro Castillo." Honduras also demanded that Castillo's "physical integrity and human rights be respected," adding, "The government of Honduras hopes that the democratic order and electoral sovereignty of Peru retake the rule of law and guarantees its rights, amid this grave constitutional violation."
• Mexico: On 7 December, Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard stated that he regretted the developments, and called for democracy to be respected. The President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador commented that "because of the interests of economic and political elites, since the beginning of the legitimate presidency of Pedro Castillo, an environment of confrontation and hostility was maintained against him, leading him to take decisions that have served his adversaries to remove him." During his morning press conference on 8 December, President López Obrador revealed he had received a call on Wednesday in which Castillo informed him of his intention to seek political asylum at the Mexican embassy. President López Obrador also stated that Mexico did not yet recognize the government of Dina Boluarte, saying that the position of Mexico would be determined in the following days. Later in the day on 8 December, Ebrard stated via Twitter that the Mexican Ambassador to Peru had met with Castillo after his arrest and that the embassy had received a letter from Castillo's lawyer officially requesting asylum. Peru declared Mexico's ambassador to Lima "persona non grata" and ordered him to leave the country on 21 December.
• Paraguay: The government expressed "its concern about the situation in Peru", and called for a "constructive dialogue between all the actors and political forces to preserve democracy and its institutions in favor of stability and pacification in that sister country."
• Spain: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that their government "firmly condemns the breakdown of the constitutional order in Peru and welcomes the restoration of democratic normality", stating that Spain "will always be on the side of democracy and the defense of constitutional legality." A day later, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that he had talked with Dina Boluarte and expressed to her "Spain's support in defending the Constitution and the Rule of Law".
• United States: The government rejected Castillo's actions. U.S. ambassador to Peru Lisa D. Kenna stated, "The United States categorically rejects any extraconstitutional act by President Castillo to prevent Congress from fulfilling its mandate. The United States strongly urges President Castillo to reverse his attempt to shut down Congress and allow Peru's democratic institutions to function according to the Constitution. We encourage the Peruvian public to remain calm during this uncertain time."
• Uruguay: The government made "a call to respect democratic institutions and strongly condemns any attempt to break the current constitutional order." It also hoped that the swearing in of Dina Boluarte "will lead to guaranteeing political stability and the preservation of the rule of law".
• Venezuela: President Nicolás Maduro stated that although his country does not interfere in the internal affairs of any country, he hoped that the Peruvian people, within the framework of their Constitution, will soon achieve "their path to liberation, democracy and happiness" while claiming that "they elect a teacher as president, [Pedro Castillo], and from the first moment of the election they do not want to recognize his victory, in the end forced by reality they have to recognize his victory as president, and once he is sworn in the conspiracy for a parliamentary coup begins".

See also

• 2019–2020 Peruvian constitutional crisis, where President Martín Vizcarra dissolved Congress and called for snap elections
• 1992 Peruvian self-coup, perpetrated by President Alberto Fujimori