In Lima, Peru, former President Pedro Castillo, currently embroiled in a rebellion trial, was transported from prison to a hospital on Thursday. This move occurred three days after he initiated a hunger strike to protest the legal proceedings against him. The trial’s overseeing court disclosed that Castillo, aged 55, was moved due to a “health problem” and to rule out a “fluid-electrolyte disorder and mild dehydration.”
The prosecution in his case is pushing for a 34-year prison sentence. Castillo has been in custody since December 7, 2022, following a televised declaration in which he announced plans to dissolve Congress and govern via decree. This led to his immediate removal by Congress. Throughout the trial, Castillo has labeled the proceedings as “politicized” and likened them to a “pantomime.” He has declined legal assistance provided by the court, maintaining that he did not commit rebellion but merely echoed the people’s aspirations through a political speech.
Subsequent to his removal, former Vice President Dina Boluarte stepped into the presidential role. The transition triggered three months of unrest across Peru, resulting in the death of dozens. Castillo, who had no prior political background and was a rural school teacher when he clinched victory in the 2021 election, also faces a criminal probe related to alleged corrupt activities while in office.
The Peruvian corrections agency has stated that Castillo’s hunger strike violates prison regulations, leading to the suspension of his visitation privileges and placing him in isolation. Walter Ayala, who served as a minister during Castillo’s presidency and one of his past lawyers, revealed that on Wednesday, the former president petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for intervention. He seeks an order for Peru’s government to lift the punitive measures imposed by the corrections agency against him.
