Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) declared an emergency session on Thursday to assess the “situation in Peru”, which is experiencing a serious political crisis due to alleged acts of corruption in the highest spheres of power.
During the meeting scheduled for 13:30 local time, the vice president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the rapporteur for Peru, Edgar Ralón, and the Peruvian Foreign Minister, César Landa, will intervene.
The extraordinary session is being held after a request sent on October 12 by Peruvian President Pedro Castillo and his Foreign Minister. The request called for the activation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, in its articles 17 and 18, which refer to situations in which democracy in a country is at risk.
“The Government of Peru has decided to activate this mechanism to preserve democratic institutions,” says the letter signed by Mr. Castillo.
According to the president, in “the last few months several situations have occurred in Peru” in the Public Ministry and Congress that have caused “a change in order and democratic institutions”.
The president also warned of an alleged “new kind of coup” that he believes is underway in Peru.
Mr. Castillo currently faces one constitutional complaint filed by the attorney general of Peru for alleged conspiracy, influence peddling and collusion. The president and his relatives have been accused in recent months of several crimes, charges they have denied.
The president also has six open investigations in the Public Ministry and some congressmen are currently signing a third motion for the dismissal of the head of state. Several congressmen who did not support previous impeachment motions have signed the latest motion prepared by Congressman Edward Málaga.
Congressmen from different political factions, mainly from the opposition, rejected the possibility of activating the Democratic Charter of the OAS.
Congressman Alejandro Soto questioned the speed of the OAS in this case and assessed that this is an intervention against the “legitimate procedure” of the Parliament.
“Mr. Almagro is very quick with these requests, he acts very quickly, but he does not do the same when the government violates the rights of Peruvian journalists by locking them in a room of the Presidential Palace.” he told Canal Nreferring to an October 11 press conference in which the president excluding local media.
Mr. Soto also described Mr. Castillo’s decision to turn to the international organization as “desperate.”
How does the Inter-American Democratic Charter work?
The Inter-American Democratic Charter, adopted on September 11, 2001, is “a collective commitment to preserve and strengthen the democratic system in the region,” according to the OAS’ official website.
Mr. Castillo’s request refers to Articles 17 and 18 of the Democratic Charter.
Article 18 mentions that: “When situations arise in a member state that may affect the development of its institutional democratic political process or the legitimate exercise of power, the Secretary General or the Permanent Council, with the prior consent of the government in question, may organize visits or other actions to analyze the situation.”
It also indicates that “the Secretary General will submit a report to the Permanent Council, which will undertake a collective assessment of the situation and, when necessary, may take decisions to preserve the democratic system and strengthen it” .
The post OAS Permanent Council to analyze Peru’s political situation in a special session appeared first on Perú Reports.
