The president of Peru, the leftist Pedro Castillo, was saved from being removed by Congress, dominated by the right-wing opposition, at the end of a political trial that kept the country in suspense.
After a debate lasting more than eight hours in Congress, in which the president presented his defenses at the beginning and then 95 parliamentarians spoke, only 55 legislators voted in favor of the dismissal, 54 against and 19 abstained. 87 votes were required to be approved.
“The resolution to declare the vacancy of the presidency of the republic has not been approved,” declared the head of Congress, the opposition María del Carmen Alva, after the vote.
The result of the vote was not surprising, because the Peruvian media had anticipated that the radical opponents did not have the necessary votes to remove the ruler, a 52-year-old rural teacher, from power.
“I salute that good sense, responsibility and democracy have prevailed. I recognize the parliamentarians who voted against the vacancy, and I respect the decision of those who did,” Castillo said on Twitter after the vote. “I call on everyone to close this page and work together for the country’s great challenges,” she added.
“We do not assume this as a defeat,” said parliamentarian Alejandro Muñante, of the right-wing Popular Renovation party, which promoted the motion to vacate Castillo.
The opposition accused Castillo of lacking direction and allowing alleged corruption in his environment. In addition, they criticized his constant ministerial crises that translate into four cabinets in eight months, something unprecedented in Peru.
