Peru’s Deposed President Castillo Must Remain In Custody Right-Wing Extremist Hitman Halle Takes Guards Hostage

Peru’s Supreme Court has rejected President Pedro Castillo’s appeal against his pre-trial detention. The court announced this via Twitter on Tuesday (local time) after a hearing. According to the Peruvian broadcaster “RPP Notícias”, judge César San Martín Castro believed that the investigations against Castillo were justified because of the charge of rebellion. This crime is fulfilled not only in the event of an armed insurrection, but also in the attempt to abolish the democratic order and concentrate all political power in one hand.

With the dissolution of the Congress, the left-wing politician Castillo wanted to prevent a vote of no confidence in parliament. Both his own cabinet and the opposition accused him of a coup and so the former village school teacher was sacked and arrested last Wednesday. “I am being held unfairly and arbitrarily,” Castillo said at the hearing. He will never give up the cause of the people. The ex-president called on the police and military to “lay down their arms and stop killing the people who thirst for justice”.

In the south and south-east of Peru, where Castillo has a particularly large following, there have been violent protests against his dismissal and clashes between demonstrators and police in recent days. According to human rights ombudsman Eliana Revollar, several people were shot dead, including two minors. Air and rail traffic in several parts of the Andean country was suspended and the police presence in the streets of the capital Lima was increased. Thousands of people demanded the resignation of Castillo’s successor Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of parliament, early new elections and the release of the imprisoned ex-president.

(yam/sda/dpa)