Pedro Castillo, president dismissed by the Peruvian Congress, during his address to the nation this Wednesday, December 7.- (AFP)
Pedro Castillo, the president removed by Congress, gave a speech to the nation on Wednesday in which he announced a series of measures such as the "temporary" dissolution of Congress and the establishment of an "exceptional emergency" government.
The ex-governor had to face his third motion of censure this very day.
In his address to the country, Castillo accused Congress of "destroying the rule of law and democracy," as well as "establishing a congressional dictatorship."
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Political crisis in Peru, live |
Pedro Castillo, arrested after his attempt to dissolve Congress
"Temporary" dissolution of Congress and establishment of an exceptional emergency government
In moments of extreme tension for the Andean nation and a crisis that has lasted 16 months —when he assumed power—, Castillo referred to the situation as "intolerable" and in response to the "citizen's claim", he made the decision to establish a government exception aimed at establishing the rule of law and democracy.
Complementary to the decision to dissolve Congress, he determined to convene in the "shortest term" elections for a Congress with constituent powers to elaborate a new Magna Carta in a period not exceeding nine months.
"From the date and until the new Congress of the Republic is established, it will be governed by decree law," he added.
Likewise, it decreed a nationwide curfew starting this Wednesday from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. the following day (local time).
“All those who possess illegal weapons must hand them over to the National Police within 72 hours.
Whoever does not do so commits a crime punishable by imprisonment that will be established in the decree law, ”Castillo added in his speech.
Reorganization of the justice system
Another of the measures was the declaration of reorganization of the justice system, the judiciary, the Public Ministry, the National Board of Justice and the Constitutional Court, although it did not specify further details about this measure.
Castillo also called on the Police, with the help of the Armed Forces, to dedicate all their efforts to the "real and effective fight" against crime, corruption and drug trafficking.
Within this same point, he stressed that private property and the freedom of enterprise should be guaranteed and respected within the framework of a social market economy.
Castillo said that he informed the Organization of American States of the decision taken in response to Article 27 of the
American Convention on Human Rights.
The aforementioned section mentions that “in case of war, public danger or other emergency that threatens the independence or security of the State party, it may adopt measures that, to the extent and for the time strictly limited to the exigencies of the situation, suspend the obligations contracted by virtue of this Convention”.
Finally, Castillo called on all civil society institutions, associations, "rondas campesinas" to support these decisions so that they allow Peru to set course.
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