In addition to storming an airport, protesters are said to have set fire to a police station. They are protesting that President Pedro Castillo was ousted by parliament before the weekend. He is accused of attempted coup after he wanted to dissolve the National Assembly. The demonstrators demand that Castillo be released and that new elections be called. Former vice president Dina Boluarte took over as president last week after Castillo. She then said that she would remain in office for four years. After the massive protests at the weekend, she has now changed her plans. She wants to speed up the elections to April 2024. Castillo is arrested while on his way to the Mexican embassy where he was supposed to apply for political asylum. Photo: Renato Pajuelo / AP Wanted to dissolve the National Assembly Pedro Castillo was elected president last year. He is accused of corruption. There are six ongoing corruption cases against him and his family. Last week, the president wanted to dissolve the National Assembly ahead of it voting on whether he should be impeached. Instead, the president was deposed. The reason is that he incited rebellion and was “morally incapable”. He was arrested when he was on his way to the Mexican embassy where he was supposed to apply for political asylum. The parliament is dominated by parties on the right. There has therefore long been a conflict between the National Assembly and the socialist Castillo. During his presidency, he has appointed five different prime ministers. Pedro Castillo came from a poor and illiterate peasant family far from the capital. Photo: Martin Mejia / AP Should help the poor Castillo is a former primary school teacher with little political experience. He came from a simple farming family in the Andes. The parents are illiterate and Castillo was one of nine children. The former union leader ran for office to reform the economic system so that more people could get out of poverty. He was elected with a narrow majority and the country has been politically divided. Castillo’s votes came mainly from the poor and from the districts. He faced opposition in the capital. During his barely one and a half year presidency, opponents have tried to depose him twice. The first time when he was accused of illegally financing his party, Fritt Peru. In opinion polls, as much as 76 percent of the population has been dissatisfied with the way the president has governed the country. In November there were protests in Lima. There, people demanded that he step down. Peru got its first female president last weekend. Dina Boluarte took over for deposed Pedro Castillo. Photo: Guadalupe Pardo/AP
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