President Pedro Castillo had announced the dissolution of Congress just hours before it was scheduled to vote to impeach him.
21:45•Updated 22:06
The Peruvian police announce that they have arrested the president Pedro Castillon, who was fired by Congress earlier on Wednesday.
In their tweet, the police call Castillo a former president.
The power struggle between Peru’s Congress and Castillo came to a head today just hours before Congress was to vote on impeaching and impeaching the president.
The president tried to save his position by announcing that he would dissolve Congress and appoint an emergency government. He also planned to reform the constitution and the judiciary.
Congress did not care about this and decided by a vote of 101-6 to fire Castillo and appoint a vice president as the new president Dina Boluarte. Congress justified the impeachment of the president by considering him morally incapable of governing the country.
Peru’s chancellor of justice has accused Castillo of leading a criminal group and corruption. Castillo has condemned the claims as an insult.
Leftist Castillo began his five-year term as president last summer. Congress has already tried to impeach him twice before.
Castillo’s decision to dissolve Congress was condemned by both Boularte and Peru’s ombudsman, as well as the United States. The army and police warned him against unconstitutionally dissolving parliament.
Sources: AP, AFP, Reuters