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Pedro Castillo found no better option to avoid being dismissed as president than to dissolve the Congress and impose a government of “exception.” This was seen as an internal coup d’état and hours later the Peruvian president ended up in jail. Once the episode was over, these were the reactions of the leftist presidents in the region.
The event took place last December 7, when Pedro Castillo addressed the nation and assured, with more doubts than certainties, that “the following measures are dictated: Temporarily dissolve the Congress of the Republic and establish a Government of exceptional emergency.”
At the same time, he communicated that his intention was to “convene elections for a new Congress with constituent powers to draft a new Constitution in the shortest time possible, within a period of no more than 9 months.”
Fortunately, the rural teacher from Cajamarca was unsuccessful and, after a few hours, was arrested by the police. Behind the political frenzy that Peru experienced and a widespread silence in the continent, these were the reactions of the regional presidents. As a preview, leftist governments were reluctant to condemn the event.
AMLO and Maduro: Pedro Castillo’s Allies
Both leaders are being Castillo’s main allies in the midst of the scandal. The Mexican president supported him through his Twitter account.
Despite the “fundamental principle of our foreign policy of non-intervention and self-determination of peoples”, he found it “regrettable that, due to the interests of the economic and political elites since the beginning of Pedro Castillo’s legitimate presidency, an atmosphere of confrontation and hostility has been fostered against him to the point of leading him to take decisions that have served his adversaries to consummate his removal from office.”
Nicolás Maduro joined the narrative and claimed that Castillo was a victim of “unparalleled parliamentary, political and judicial persecution.” In his opinion, it is entirely the fault of the “oligarchic elites who do not allow a simple teacher to reach the presidency of Peru and try to govern for the people.”
Gustavo Petro’s reaction
Gustavo Petro joined the leaders who did not condemn Castillo’s actions. The Colombian president also posted his opinion on Twitter, where he asked the OAS to protect Castillo’s rights.
“I request the IACHR to apply the American Convention on Human Rights and issue precautionary measures in favor of the president of Peru, Pedro Castillo. The right to elect and be elected and to have an independent court of justice has been violated,” he wrote.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry criticized “any attack against democracy”, although it later clarified that “democracy requires the recognition of the popular will expressed both in the elections for president and for Congress.”
Argentina and Chile, along the same lines
Both countries had an ambiguous response to the coup attempt in Peru. The Chilean Foreign Ministry wrote: “Our country emphatically calls for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and reaffirms its commitment to democracy and dialogue.”
Alberto Fernandez’s Government also ignored the coup attempt in a brief press release. “Argentina regrets and expresses its deep concern about the political crisis that the sister Republic of Peru is going through, and calls on all political and social actors to safeguard democratic institutions, the rule of law and the constitutional order,” they published on Twitter.
Brazil: Lula and Bolsonaro reacted differently
Jair Bolsonaro’s administration issued a press statement as well. In this case, the condemnation was a little more explicit. For Brazil, Castillo’s actions were a “violation of democracy and the rule of law.”
Lula da Silva stated that “it is always regrettable that a democratically elected president has such a fate”, although he understands “that everything went within the constitutional rules.”
Uruguay issued a “strong” condemnation
The government of Luis Lacalle Pou was one of the only ones to openly condemn Pedro Castillo’s coup attempt.
“In view of the political crisis that the Republic of Peru is going through, the Government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay calls for respect for democratic institutions and strongly condemns any attempt to break the constitutional order in force in the brother country,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]