2022 Peruvian self-coup attempt

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
Location	Lima, Peru
Caused by	Impeachment proceedings against the President
Resulted in	Presidential defeat 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 Council of Ministers Supreme Court of Peru National Board of Justice Supporting Parties: Popular Force Popular Renewal Advance Country
Lead figures
Pedro Castillo Aníbal Torres José Williams Dina Boluarte

On 7 December 2022, President of Peru Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress in the face of imminent impeachment proceedings by the legislative body, immediately enacting a curfew, attempted to establish an emergency government and rule by decree, and called for the formation of a constituent assembly, a violation of Article 206 of the Constitution of Peru.^[1][2] Attorney General Patricia Benavides, had previously claimed that Castillo was the head of a criminal organization and called on Congress to remove him from office, with legislators then attempting a third impeachment of Castillo.^[3][4][5] Citing the actions of Congress obstructing many of his policies during his administration,^[6][7][8] 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".^[6] He also called for the immediate election of a constituent assembly^[6] with some calls for the creation of a constituent assembly existing since the 2020 Peruvian protests.^[9]

Numerous members of Castillo's government resigned from their positions shortly after he announced the dissolution of Congress, and the Peruvian Armed Forces also refused to support his actions.^[10][11] Castillo was impeached on the same day, and ceased to be president after the Constitutional Court rejected his dissolution of Congress.^[12][13][14] Castillo's vice president Dina Boluarte was sworn in as the new president later in the day.^[15] Following Castillo's removal, his supporters started nationwide protests demanding his release and Boluarte's resignation. Following widespread unrest through Peru, the Boluarte government announced a national state of emergency on 14 December, removing some constitutional protections from citizens, including the rights preventing troops from staying within private homes and buildings, the freedom of movement, the freedom of assembly and "personal freedom and security" for 30 days.^[16][17] Castillo was placed in pre-trial detention for 18 months for charges of rebellion and conspiracy^[18][19] and was given an additional 36 months of detention related to allegations of corruption during his administration.^[20][21]

Following Castillo's actions, the Constitutional Court – whose members were reportedly elected by Congress in a dubious manner to support the legislative body^[22][23] – removed judicial oversight from Congress, essentially giving the legislative body absolute control of Peru's government.^[24][25][26] Castillo asserted that two controversial votes of confidence occurred between his former Prime Minister Aníbal Torres and Congress, stating that such actions provided a legal basis to dissolve the legislative body.^[27] This statement would prove controversial due to the a judgment by the Constitutional Court over the motion of confidence proposed on 17 November 2022, with the court later ruling that not only were Castillo's actions null but that Congress alone could interpret whether or not a motion of confidence occurred, concentrating more power into the hands of Congress according to constitutional experts.^[28]

The event was described by Peruvian politicians, the Constitutional Court, Peruvian media and some international news organizations^[29] as an attempted coup d'état, with some comparing it to the autogolpe of Alberto Fujimori during the 1992 Peruvian self-coup d'état^[30][31][10] Representatives of many foreign countries, including Spain,^[32] United States,^[33] Brazil,^[34] Uruguay^[35] and the secretary-general of the Organization of American States^[33] rejected Castillo's actions and described them as an attempt to break the constitutional order. According to an Institute of Peruvian Studies [es] poll, 53% of respondents disagreed with his attempt to dissolve Congress, while 44% of participants agreed.^[36] Supporters of Castillo said that a soft coup was perpetrated by Congress against him.^[37][38] Some governments of Latin America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Honduras and Mexico, responded to the crisis by refusing to recognize the Boluarte government and viewing Castillo as president.^[39][40] Castillo has also continued to consider himself as the legal president of Peru.^[41]