In a dramatic turn of events in Peru, Pedro Castillo, who less than 24 hours ago was president, is in police custody facing likely charges of rebellion. His fall from power was swift.
Facing an impeachment vote by the opposition-controlled Congress, he announced he was dissolving the legislative body.
Congress defied him, voted overwhelmingly to remove him from office and his bodyguards stopped him from seeking refuge at an embassy.
Just hours after impeaching Mr Castillo, Congress swore in his vice-president, Dina Boluarte, as the new president. Ms Boluarte is the first woman to lead Peru. She said she would govern until July 2026, which is when Mr Castillo’s term would have come to an end.
While Ms Boluarte was Mr Castillo’s running mate in the 2021 election which brought them to power, she quickly distanced herself from him on Wednesday when he tried to dissolve Congress, a move she said was an “attempted coup”.
Speaking after being sworn in, she urged Peruvians to come together for “national unity” and asked for a “truce” to allow her to fight corruption.
While she was taking the oath of office, her predecessor was already in the custody of the police.
Credit: bbc.com
