The European Union on Thursday 8 December welcomed the efforts of the new Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte, to “restore political stability” in Peru, following the arrest the previous day of the radical left-wing former President, Pedro Castillo, who has been in power since the summer of 2021 (see EUROPE 12767/24).
“Full respect of the Constitution, democratic principles and separation of powers (...) is crucial for the country to restore political stability”, the European External Action Service (EEAS) spokesperson said in a statement.
On Thursday, the Peruvian Supreme Court ordered 7 days of pre-trial detention for Mr Castillo, who is facing charges of rebellion. The latter had been removed from office on Wednesday by the national parliament after an attempted coup. Mr Castillo, who may go into exile in Mexico, is also facing charges of corruption and influence peddling (see EUROPE 13043/19).
Elected Vice-President alongside Mr Castillo in 2021, Mrs Boluarte wants to set up a government of national unity to govern until July 2026, when her predecessor’s current term ends. However, she did not rule out early elections.
In a statement, Christian Democrats Pilar Del Castillo (Spanish) and David McAllister (German) expressed their unconditional support for the Peruvian constitutional order, praising the “impeccable and responsible behaviour” of the Peruvian authorities. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)