Peru’s Government Issues Formal Protest, Calls Gustavo Petro’s Statements “Unacceptable”

After Petro and other leftist leaders have been scrambling to defend what Latin American pundits are calling dethroned Peruvian President Pedro Castillo’s “Self-Coup,” the Peruvian government has lodged a formal protest with Colombia’s ministry of foreign relations.

Monday, Perú’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued official communiqué 012-22 stating:

On this date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a diplomatic note to the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia through which the deep discomfort of the Government of Peru is transmitted in the face of the repeated statements of President Gustavo Petro on the political situation in the country.

President Petro’s statements constitute an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of Peru, especially serious in the context of acts of violence that have caused unfortunate loss of human life; they are not consistent with the traditional relations of mutual respect, friendship, cooperation and the desire for integration that unite both states and peoples; and they deviate from the prudence that the successive governments of Peru and Colombia have cultivated regarding the internal political affairs of the other State, especially in complex and delicate situations. 

On December 7th, embattled Peruvian President Pedro Castillo attempted to rid himself of the country’s congress and rule by decree, unimpeded by the checks and balances of a democratic government. No other branches of the government supported his gambit, including the military and members of his own cabinet. Congress, supported by the country’s prosecutor’s office, moved to remove Castillo from power, refusing to allow Peru to become a Venezuelan or Nicaraguan style dictatorship. Castillo was replaced by his own Vice President and campaign running mate, Dina Boluarte, as per the Peruvian constitution.

Above photo: Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro (left) has expressed an ideological affinity for disgraced Peruvian President Pedro Castillo (right).

Realizing his power-play had failed, would-be left-wing strongman Castillo attempted to escape and flee to the Mexican embassy, but was captured and is now in Lima’s Barbadillo prison with former right-wing strongman Alberto Fujimori.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, himself a former armed leftist guerilla, joined Mexico’s Manuel Lopez Obrador, Nicolás Maduro, and other leftist Latin American politicians in a collectivist howl of protest over the failure of Peru’s government to go along with Castillo’s power grab. Petro called on the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights to defend Castillo, but the multilateral organization did the opposite, on December 8th issuing a statement saying in part:

The former President of the Republic, Pedro Castillo, announced through a message to the nation on the morning of December 7, his decision to dissolve the Congress of the Republic and install an emergency government that would act through decree-laws. In addition, he announced the curfew, as well as the reorganization of the justice system, including the judiciary, the Constitutional Court, the Public Ministry and the National Board of Justice, among other aspects.

The Commission considers that the announced action does not comply with the provisions of Article 134 of the Constitution regarding the unilateral dissolution of Congress. In addition, it decrees the suspension of constitutional rights related to freedom of locomotion, association without specific criteria; and orders, unilaterally, the reorganization of the entire judiciary.

Internally, the decision was denounced as a coup by some institutions of the other state powers, and rejected among them by the Constitutional Court , the Ombudsman’s Office , the Presidency of the Judiciary , the Attorney General of the Republic , the Attorney General ‘s Office , the National Police and the Armed Forces . Additionally, Congress made the decision to declare the presidential vacancy, generating the constitutional succession, former Vice President Dina Boluarte having assumed the Presidency.

The Commission recognizes the immediate action of the institutions of Peru in defense of democracy to avoid the realization of the institutional breakdown and reaffirms that it must be safeguarded by the rule of law. In this regard, the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter, as well as different international instruments establish that respect for human rights; access to power and its exercise with strict adherence to the rule of law; The holding of periodic, free and fair elections and the separation and independence of public powers are essential elements of democracy to achieve stability, peace and development in the region.

Castillo’s failed self-coup led to Dina Boluarte being recognized as Peru’s 1st female vice-president.

Other civil society organizations such as Human Rights Watch also condemned Castillo’s self-coup attempt. The European Union and Organization of American States (OAS) have already sent their regards to new President Boluarte, and the UN Secretary General, António Gutierres, condemned “any attempt to subvert the democratic order,” alluding to the self-coup.

It is far to early to predict how events will play out in Peru. The country was already in a prolonged period of political turmoil when Castillo took office. The country is now convulsing in civil violence as Castillos supporters have taken to the street. Amnesty International has criticized the Peruvian government’s reaction, with clashes and unrest between the government and Castillo supporters, especially in his home region of Cajamarca.

It is also too early to tell how bilateral relations between Peru and Colombia will play out, with Petro behaving as Castillo’s international advocate to the chagrin of Peru’s recognized government.

According to a US State Department travel alert, flights to and from Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) in Cusco, Alfredo Rodriguez Ballón International Airport (AQP) in Arequipa, Juliaca Inca Manco Cápac Airport (JUL) near Puno, and Andahuaylas Airport (ANS) are temporarily suspended. Train service to and from Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu Village remains suspended. Travelers in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and in Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu Village have been advised by the embassy to shelter in place until safe transportation options become available.

Headline photo courtesy of Colombian Ministry of Foreign Relations.