Pedro Castillo dissolves Peruvian Congress and establishes emergency government in Peru

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announced the partial closure of the Congress during a national broadcast message on Wednesday. 

Castillo's unconventional move comes amid the Peruvian Congress debating an impeachment motion charging Castillo with the president's "permanent moral incapacity," a constitutional mechanism that has already expelled two former presidents since 2018. 

The parliamentary session was scheduled for 3 p.m. Peru time. Reports indicate that 87 legislators were expected to support the motion, which would have easily secured a passed muster with a majority of the 130-seated Congress. 

President Castillo denounced the intentions of his detractors, calling it "dynamite democracy and ignore the right to elect" of Peruvians, in addition to wanting to "take advantage and take the power that the people took from them at the polls."

Last week the Peruvian Congress approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against Castillo after accusations surfaced that he was using the position for personal gain and corruption.

Peru is going through a political crisis that is worsening with the struggle between its executive and legislative branches. Congress has twice impeached Castillo, but in the end, he has not been removed despite opposition legislators successfully censuring and dismissing several cabinet members.

Developing News