LIMA, Peru — On Thursday, former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was escorted from his detention to a medical facility as he entered the third day of a hunger strike aimed at protesting his trial for rebellion.
The tribunal overseeing the case announced that the 55-year-old former leader was transferred because of a “health issue,” which necessitated checks to rule out potential “fluid-electrolyte imbalances” and “mild dehydration.”
Prosecutors are pursuing a 34-year prison sentence for Castillo, who was apprehended on December 7, 2022. His arrest followed a public declaration in which he announced the dissolution of Congress and expressed plans to govern unilaterally. Castillo has criticized his trial as being politically motivated and farcical, rejecting the legal counsel offered by the judicial system. That same day, the Peruvian Congress ousted him from power.
In his initial trial appearance last week, Castillo refuted the rebellion charge, stating that his actions were intended to reflect the people’s will through a political declaration.
Subsequent to Castillo’s removal from office, Dina Boluarte, who was then the Vice President, stepped into the presidential role. This change in leadership precipitated a period of unrest in the nation, characterized by three months of protests that resulted in multiple fatalities.
Castillo, formerly an educator in rural Peru, lacked political experience when he emerged victorious in the country’s 2021 presidential election. Beyond the current trial, he is also under scrutiny for allegations of corruption during his presidency.
