Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo goes on trial over failed bid to dissolve parliament

A trial against former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has begun over his unsuccessful attempt to shut down Congress in 2022, an event which has deeply divided the the South American nation.

Castillo, an ex-union leader and teacher who surprised the political establishment by winning the 2021 election, is accused of rebellion, abuse of power and disturbing the peace.

The leftist politician, who was Peru's first indigenous president, tried to dissolve parliament in December 2022 as politicians were preparing an impeachment vote against him.

Castillo's trial, which started on Tuesday, is being held inside a police compound, where he has been held since he was detained more than two years ago.

Prosecutors, who allege that Castillo attempted to stage a coup, are seeking a 34-year prison sentence against him.

The former president denied the charges of rebellion in his opening statement. 

“All I did was express the wishes of the people through a speech,” Castillo claimed, referring to a televised address he gave on 7 December 2022, in which he announced the dissolution of Congress and called for new elections.

Refusing to bring his own legal counsel, Castillo, who has described the proceedings as a “farce” on social media, was assigned a lawyer.

Castillo has sought the removal of one of the judges presiding over the case, arguing that she had already made her stance on his actions clear.

In a separate case, Castillo is also under investigation for corruption.

His arrest led to widespread protests in Peru, especially in the country’s south, where at least 49 people were killed in the unrest that followed.

The ousting also caused Peru's relations with left-leaning governments in Mexico and Colombia to become strained.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a close ally, took to social media on Tuesday, claiming that Peru’s former leader is being prosecuted for rebellion simply because “he is poor and from the left".