Peru's Castillo orders dissolution of Congress

Peru s President Pedro Castillo announced the immediate dissolution of Congress and the installation of a government of exceptions by decree until new legislative elections were held by decree just hours before he was due to face an impeachment vote in a dramatic escalation of his fight with the opposition-led chamber.

The announcement on Tuesday was the latest dramatic twist in Castillo's tumultuous 17 months in power, which has already seen five cabinets, six criminal investigations and two failed attempts to impeach him.

In a televised national address, Castillo ordered a night-time curfew and the reorganisation of the judiciary and prosecutor's office, which is investigating him for alleged corruption and influence-trafficking charges that he denies.

The move immediately prompted mass resignations from the cabinet, including the foreign minister, C sar Landa, and the economy minister, Kurt Burneo. The commandant of the army, Walter C rdova, resigned before Castillo's address.

I strongly condemn this coup d tat and call for the international community to help in the democratic re-establishment of democracy in Peru, said Landa. Castillo took this decision without my knowledge or support. The move was called a coup by the opposition, and they refused to leave the congress building. They say they will proceed with the scheduled impeachment debate and vote.

Castillo's announcement prompted comparisons with the notorious autogolpe of April 1992 in which the then president Alberto Fujimori dissolved Congress and sent soldiers and tanks on the streets of Lima.

Fernando Tuesta, a political science professor at Lima's Pontifical Catholic University, said that what has happened in Peru is a coup d tat. The constitution doesn't allow for anything announced by former president Pedro Castillo. Tuesta said he is not to be obeyed and that he is usurping power.