Peru judge extends ex-President Castillo’s jail time by 18 months
Al JazeeraDec 24, 2022
Peru: Court Orders 18-Month Detention For Ousted President
Image copyright: Associated Press [via CNN]
The Facts
On Thursday, Peru's Supreme Court ordered that deposed Pres. Pedro Castillo, who has been accused of rebellion and conspiracy, remain in pretrial detention for 18 months, with Judge Juan Carlos Checkley citing the complexity of the case and a possible flight risk.
This comes a week after Castillo's attempt to dissolve Congress and allegedly flee to Mexico, ending with his arrest and detention, which triggered nationwide unrest.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Castillo was never a good fit for the office. He was an accidental president with no political experience and governed without any discernible ideology. His reign was characterized by chaos, corruption, and incompetence. His presidency may be over, but Peru is not out of the woods yet — it needs structural and political reforms to stop a toxic desperate man from seizing power again.
Establishment-critical narrative
Castillo is a victim of anti-democratic persecution. There is evidence that anti-left forces colluded with the US to dethrone a democratically-elected president in Peru. The 2021 election loser Keiko Fujimori, whose father Alberto Fujimori was backed by the oligarchy when he conducted a self-coup in 1992, has close ties with the US government and its intelligence agencies. It's not Castillo's attempted coup but a nation driven by social, economic, and geographical differences that propelled his illegal oust.
Establishment split
CRITICAL
PRO
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