- Title: New legal battle brews in Peru as attorney general challenges president
- Date: 12th October 2022
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (OCTOBER 11, 2022) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PERU'S PRESIDENT, PEDRO CASTILLO, SITING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE CASTILLO ATTENDEES SITTING AT SQUARED TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERU’S PRESIDENT, PEDRO CASTILLO, SAYING: "A new coup d’état modality has started in Peru; a coup whose playbook uses the Attorney General for political interests and makes the country believe I lead a criminal network, which I completely deny." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERU’S PRESIDENT, PEDRO CASTILLO, SAYING: "Today, Peru's Attorney General, far from judging real criminal networks, is (judging) a government elected by the people legally and with legitimacy." CASTILLO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 26th October 2022 04:23
- Keywords: Pedro Castillo Peru President Prosecutor impeach
- Location: LIMA & LAMBAYEQUE, PERU
- City: LIMA & LAMBAYEQUE, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,South America / Central America
- Reuters ID: LVA003163212102022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS A WHITE FLASH IN SHOT #3
Peru's attorney general on Tuesday (October 11) filed a so-called constitutional complaint against President Pedro Castillo, opening a new legal battle that opposition forces hope could lead to his ouster.
Castillo already faces five criminal investigations into whether he has used the presidency to benefit himself and has survived two impeachment attempts in just over a year in office.
Castillo denies any wrongdoing and also late on Tuesday vowed to finish his term in 2026.
Through a video message, Attorney General Patricia Benavides said her office has found evidence of a "criminal organisation that has taken roots in the government."
Castillo called the constitutional complaint - as well as raids and detentions that targeted allies earlier in the day - a "coup d’état" orchestrated by the attorney general's office.
Some lawmakers have said they want to launch a third impeachment bid though they acknowledge they do not have the votes.
Some, however, think the constitutional complaint could lead to Castillo's suspension with fewer votes in the opposition-controlled Congress than a formal impeachment vote.
Peruvian prosecutors on Tuesday (October 11) also detained five allies of embattled President Pedro Castillo, who is facing several criminal investigations over corruption allegations during his one year in office.
Prosecutors said the detentions were carried out against people who had allegedly helped Castillo's former secretary avoid detention for corruption charges earlier this year.
Peru has a high turnover of presidents with five since 2016. One of them was ousted through impeachment, another resigned before an impeachment vote and a third one resigned after street protests.
(Production: Carlos Valdez, Anna Portella) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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