[News Figures] Who is Castillo, the 'Dirt Spoon President' of Peru Impeached After 16 Months?

'Former Rural Teacher' Peruvian President Finally Impeached
Third Impeachment Vote Since Taking Office in July Last Year

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Pedro Castillo (53), the president of Peru and a former rural elementary school teacher, was impeached on the 8th (local time). Although he survived two impeachment crises amid corruption allegations since the beginning of his administration, he was ultimately stripped of the presidency after about 16 months in office, suffering a disgraceful defeat.

Former President Castillo won the presidential election in July last year by narrowly defeating the prominent conservative politician Keiko Fujimori. Classified as a radical leftist, Castillo gained attention during the election by pledging constitutional reform, strengthening state control over the energy industry, and creating one million jobs annually.

Castillo was born in 1969 in a rural area of Cajamarca in northern Peru as the third of nine siblings. His parents were illiterate farmers. During his school years, he helped his parents with farming and walked over two hours to attend school. After majoring in education at university, he started working as a teacher at his hometown elementary school in 1995. Due to his background, far removed from the establishment or elite classes, Castillo was often referred to as the "President of the Common People" or "President of the Farmers" after his election.

Before becoming president, he had almost no political experience. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of a small town as a leftist party candidate in 2002, and most of his political career was spent working in local party organizations. He gained nationwide recognition by leading a teachers' general strike in 2017, which eventually led to his presidential candidacy.

Throughout his campaign, he wore a wide-brimmed white hat and promised to alleviate poverty and inequality. Amid widespread voter dissatisfaction with corruption and polarization, Castillo was dramatically elected president with strong support from farmers and the working class.

Although he won the election with a clean image, controversies plagued his cabinet appointments from the start. Notably, in November last year, Bruno Pacheco, the presidential chief of staff, resigned after a bundle of cash worth $20,000 was found hidden in the presidential office. Within six months, three prime ministers were dismissed, and ministers were repeatedly replaced, causing political instability. He faced two impeachment crises within eight months of taking office.

Castillo himself was embroiled in various corruption allegations and became the subject of a prosecutorial investigation. Falling from the image of a "clean leftist" to a "corruption suspect," public demands for his resignation intensified. Recently, his approval rating dropped to the 10% range.

Cornered, he attempted to counterattack the congress pushing for impeachment by threatening to dissolve the legislature, but even the vice president and cabinet turned against him. Ultimately, the Peruvian Congress held a plenary session that day and forcibly passed the impeachment motion. The motion required the approval of two-thirds of the 130 members, and 101 members voted in favor, far exceeding the required quorum.

Immediately after his resignation, Castillo was taken into custody as a suspect and arrested by the police.

The Peruvian government announced that, according to regulations, Vice President Dina Boluarte immediately succeeded to the presidency. President Boluarte will lead the government for the remainder of Castillo’s term (until July 2026). She is the first female president in Peru’s history.