A judge in Peru has ordered Pedro Castillo to be detained for seven days as authorities investigate charges of “rebellion and conspiracy” against the former president, who was removed from office and arrested this week.
Castillo made his initial court appearance via videoconference on Thursday, a day after Congress overwhelmingly voted to remove him in the third impeachment attempt of his embattled and short-lived presidency.
Thursday’s preliminary court hearing sought to evaluate the legality of Castillo’s arrest, as well as touch on an inquiry by the attorney general’s office into charges he orchestrated an alleged rebellion.
Looking downcast and nervous, the former teacher’s union leader gave simple yes or no answers and declined when asked if he wanted to address the court. A few hours after the hearing ended, Castillo was ordered to a seven-day preliminary jail sentence as the investigation proceeds.
Peru’s opposition-held legislature voted to remove Castillo from office on Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the left-wing leader had signalled plans to “temporarily” dismiss Congress and rule by decree.
Castillo had said the measures aimed to “reestablish the rule of law and democracy” in the South American nation but his announcement sparked widespread condemnation from observers who accused the president of carrying out a “coup”.
After Congress successfully passed the impeachment vote, Castillo was taken into police custody in the capital, Lima. He is being held in a police prison where former President Alberto Fujimori, convicted of rights abuses, is also detained.
The Peruvian prosecutor’s office said it carried out a dawn raid on the presidency and some ministerial offices in Lima in search of evidence against Castillo.
Castillo’s defence team has argued he was arbitrarily removed from Peru’s presidency on trumped-up charges of rebellion. “It is clear that the crime of rebellion was not committed” because it did not materialise, argued one of his lawyers, Victor Perez.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador revealed on Thursday that Castillo had called his office to request asylum in his country’s embassy, which he planned to grant, but the Peruvian leader was arrested before he could arrive.
