Peru’s long-running political turmoil deepened on Thursday as the Supreme Court handed former president Pedro Castillo a prison term of more than eleven years for attempting to dissolve Congress and govern through decree. The ruling closes a dramatic chapter that began in December 2022 when Castillo, a former rural schoolteacher who rose to power on promises of social uplift, tried to head off an impeachment vote by concentrating authority in his own hands.
Castillo, often described as the country’s first leader from a poor farming background, had spent sixteen fractious months clashing with a Congress dominated by his critics. He accused legislators of safeguarding privilege for a narrow elite, and lawmakers accused him of corruption and incompetence. His sudden attempt to shut down Congress collapsed almost immediately. Ministers refused to follow his lead and prosecutors framed the move as a crude attempt to derail the constitutional order.
The court’s verdict arrived only a day after another former president, Martin Vizcarra, received a fourteen year sentence for bribery linked to his time as a regional governor. He now joins Ollanta Humala and Alejandro Toledo at a special facility east of Lima that houses disgraced former presidents, underscoring how deeply corruption allegations have hollowed out Peru’s political class.
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Castillo, fifty six, has been held at the same complex throughout the proceedings. The judges convicted him of conspiracy to commit rebellion, although he was cleared of separate accusations that he abused his office or disrupted public order. Prosecutors had asked for a term nearly three times longer.
He was detained in 2022 while heading toward the Mexican embassy with his family to request asylum. His wife and children have since remained abroad. Supporters gathered outside the prison on Thursday, insisting he was targeted because of his background rather than his actions. Some held signs declaring him innocent and accusing the political establishment of betrayal.
The case has widened diplomatic rifts. Betssy Chavez, his former prime minister and accused co-conspirator, obtained asylum from Mexico before the trial ended. Peru called the move an unfriendly act and severed ties.
Castillo’s fall ignited nationwide demonstrations that were met with strong force, leaving at least fifty people dead. His successor, Dina Boluarte, faced her own legitimacy crisis and was eventually removed. With Jose Jeri now in office, Peru has cycled through seven presidents since 2016, a striking indicator of the country’s precarious political landscape.