LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian police arrested an ex-prime minister on Tuesday for allegedly conspiring against the state and joining an attempted “coup” by ousted former President Pedro Castillo, in the latest criminal case targeting a politician in the country.
Former Prime Minister Betssy Chavez was detained at her home in the southern city of Tacna following a court order, according to local television, more than six months after the leftist Castillo was arrested and jailed on rebellion charges.
Chavez, a former legislator, and other former ministers of Castillo’s 17-month-old government are also being investigated as co-conspirators for the crime of fomenting rebellion.
The charges stem from Castillo’s announcement last December that he would dissolve Congress and rule by decree just ahead of an effort by lawmakers to vote him out of office. Peru’s opposition-led Congress rapidly ousted Castillo and police subsequently arrested him.
Castillo’s removal sparked months of angry and sometimes violent protests that left over 60 people dead, largely from indigenous groups. The current government led by President Dina Boluarte, Castillo’s former vice president, has denied it committed abuses during the protests while pledging cooperation with the investigations.
A criminal chamber of Peru’s Supreme Court issued the arrest warrant for Chavez, the court said on Twitter, while prosecutors filed a request for 18 months of preventative imprisonment.
A lawyer and fierce defender of Castillo, Chavez has repeatedly denied participating in or having knowledge of the alleged coup attempt, as have other former ministers who are also under investigation.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Sandra Maler)
