Peruvian Congress approves indictment of former president Castillo on corruption charges

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Peruvian Congress authorized the constitutional accusation versus former President Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) and 2 former ministers for
the supposed criminal offenses of a criminal company, impact peddling, and collusion the other day, Friday.After more than 4 hours of
dispute, the Congress chose to authorize the final report of the allegation against the previous president with 59 votes in favor, 23
against, and three abstentions, which will allow Prosecutor General, Patricia Benavides, to formalize the investigation and initiate
criminal proceedings versus Castillo.The authorized text is based upon the constitutional complaint filed by Benavides in October 2022,
which includes supposed abnormalities found in the works of the Tarata II Bridge in the region of San Martin (north) and other acts of
corruption.In this sense, Castillo is advised to be charged with criminal activities against public tranquility, in the method of worsened
criminal organization, due to his supposed condition of leader, and against public administration, in the technique of intensified impact
peddling.Peruvian Congress
(Photo internet recreation)Also, for being a supposed accomplice of the criminal activity against public administration, in the modality of
collusion to the hinderance of the State.In the very same session, the final reports suggesting the indictment of the previous Ministers of
Transportation and Communications, Juan Silva, Housing, Construction and Sanitation, and Geiner Alvarado, for declared criminal organization
were likewise voted and approved.The reports were presented prior to the Plenary by the president of the legislative Sub-Commission of
Constitutional Accusations, Lady Camones, and by congressman Diego Bazán from the conservative Avanza País party.The constitutional
allegation provided by Benavides argues that the Prosecutors Office has more than 190 evidential components that would support the thesis
that Castillo was the supposed leader of a criminal organization during his government.During the session, Pedro Castillos lawyer, Eduardo
Pachas, got involved essentially, asking for that the accusation versus the previous president is submitted and that he exercise his defense
before the Plenary in person.The former president is in preventive detention for 18 months in the Barbadillo prison in Lima.He is being
examined for declared rebellion after trying to dissolve the Congress without constitutional basis last December 7
This Friday, Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, urged the Congress and the Prosecutors Office to accelerate the constitutional grievance
versus Castillo after alerting in an interview with the private Radio Programas del Perú that the president would mean to go to the
international jurisdiction to demand his flexibility and his reinstatement as president .