Peru declared a state of emergency and Castillo was sentenced to 18 months in prison

 REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda/File Photo

Peru announced a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday, granting police special powers and limiting freedoms including the right to assembly, after a week of fiery protests that have left at least eight dead.

The protests were sparked by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo on Dec. 7 in an impeachment vote. Castillo, a leftist elected in 2021, was arrested after illegally trying to dissolve the Andean nation's Congress, the latest in a series of political crises the world's second-largest copper producer has faced in recent years.

Castillo, who is accused of rebellion and conspiracy, would be held in pretrial detention for 18 months, the prosecution stated on Wednesday. The Supreme Court of Peru convened to discuss the request, but the meeting was eventually called to adjourn until Thursday.

After Castillo was removed from office, Dina Boluarte, his former vice president, was sworn into office. Her presidency has polarized other Latin American leaders.

Anger-filled and occasionally violent protests have broken out across the Andean nation as a result of the political unrest, particularly in the rural and mining areas that helped elect the former peasant farmer and teacher to government in July of last year.

According to authorities, eight people—mostly teenagers—have perished in altercations with the police. A minimum of six people were shot, according to rights organizations. Airports have been overrun by protesters, who have also burned down buildings and blocked highways.

According to Boluarte's defense minister, Alberto Otarola, "we have agreed to proclaim a state of emergency throughout the country due to the acts of destruction and violence."

He said, "This necessitates a robust response from the government," adding that doing so would result in the suspension of a number of liberties, including the freedom of assembly and the right to travel freely, as well as the capacity for officials to enter residences without a warrant.

2023 ELECTIONS?

Speaking to reporters from the presidential palace, Boluarte urged peace and declared that "violence between us prevents us from having a discourse."

Elections could be held in December 2023 rather than April 2024, as she had already promised. Currently, the election is scheduled for 2026, the year Castillo's tenure would have ended.

As the leader has come under fire from leftists in Latin America, including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Boluarte's government also spoke with a number of regional politicians on Wednesday. This was probably done in an effort to win over more international support.

Ana Cecilia Gervasi, the foreign minister of Peru, reported speaking with counterparts from Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, and Ecuador on Wednesday. Boluarte had meetings with many European embassies the day before.

Castillo has being held at the DIROES police station in Lima since his arrest. After the initial seven days of pretrial custody ended on Wednesday, he urged his supporters to visit the jail and demanded that he be released.

Castillo wrote on Twitter in handwriting, "I await you all at the DIROES facilities to join you in a hug," and signed it, "Constitutional President of Peru." Castillo has refuted the accusations of uprising and scheming.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights was also requested to intervene on Castillo's behalf, and dozens of supporters gathered outside the prison to demand his release.

Castillo, however, cannot be released while the Supreme Court considers the prosecutors' request, according to sources from the prosecutor's office and experts.

Peru's judiciary said on Twitter it would hold a hearing by Friday on a "request for pretrial detention for 18 months against former president Pedro Castillo and (former Prime Minister) Anibal Torres, investigated for the crimes of rebellion and others."