Peru is in constant crisis and has had 6 presidents in 6 years

The political crisis in Peru, aggravated this Wednesday (7) after President Pedro Castillo’s order to dissolve Parliament, dates back at least six years. The current leader, for example, is the sixth to govern the country since 2016, and the mechanism adopted by him has also been used by one of his predecessors.

The Peruvian constitution states that if the government is defeated in a confidence vote, the president must recompose his cabinet. If the same process is repeated, the Chief Executive can then order the dissolution of Parliament and call new legislative elections.

Castillo got ahead, however, as he has yet to suffer his second defeat. Last week, the Peruvian Congress began the third process to remove the leftist leader, but the actual impeachment was still uncertain, since 87 votes are needed for this – a greater amount than necessary to start the process.

In 2019, then-President Martín Vizcarra dissolved Parliament after congressmen rejected two confidence votes. The following year, however, the new configuration of the Legislative managed to remove him from power amid accusations of corruption, crowning a chronic political upheaval —a movement very similar to what happened in Castillo’s term.

Vizcarra was accused of receiving bribes, which would put him in the category of “moral incapacity”, preventing him from continuing in office. The same term was used in the lawsuits against Castillo, accused of leading a corruption scheme and protecting allies targeted by criminal investigations.

Before Vizcarra, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, known as PPK, resigned in March 2018, accusing the opposition of creating an “ungovernable climate”. At the time, the then Peruvian leader would face his second vacancy motion, also on corruption charges.

The two removals in a row, however, were not enough to slow down the crisis in Peruvian politics. After the departure of Vizcarra, congressman Manuel Merino de Lama took over for just six days, who resigned after the episodes of violence that followed the institutional crisis.

Deputy Francisco Sagasti then took over the government on an interim basis and managed to remain in office until Castillo took office.

In addition, a series of scandals hit most of the Peruvian political elite. Alberto Fujimori, the dictator who ruled the country from 1990 to 2000, was arrested for crimes against humanity. His daughter, Keiko, was Castillo’s main electoral opponent. Investigated for corruption, she was even arrested and, after her defeat by the current president, made accusations of fraud in the elections, which were never proven.

Also being investigated for corruption involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht are former presidents Alejandro Toledo (who led the country from 2001 to 2006 and is currently in custody), Ollanta Humala (leader from 2011 to 2016, who spent six months in prison) and the president himself. PPK (2016-2018). In addition, former president Alan García (1985-1990 and 2006-2011) committed suicide when police officers were preparing to arrest him in 2019.