Pedro Castillo: Peru's embattled president faces fresh legal battle

Pedro Castillo took office last year

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo is facing a fresh legal battle after the country's attorney general filed a constitutional complaint against the left-wing leader.

Attorney General Patricia Benavides accused Mr Castillo of leading a corruption ring.

The president has denied any wrongdoing and says it is an attempt by his political rivals to unseat him.

He has already survived two impeachment attempts since taking office last year.

"I am filing a constitutional complaint against José Pedro Castillo Terrones, in his capacity as president of the republic, as the alleged perpetrator of crimes against the public peace in the form of a criminal organisation aggravated by his position as leader," the official complaint posted by Ms Benavides reads.

Ms Benavides alleged that there were "serious indications of a criminal organisation that has taken root in the government".

Under Peru's constitution, presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution while they are in office except for treason, dissolving Congress, or preventing elections from being held.

The constitutional complaint is a way to hold accountable presidents and members of Congress who enjoy this immunity from prosecution.

It will now be up to Peru's Congress to examine the complaint and to decide whether it will go any further.

The complaint filed by Ms Benavides will be examined by parliament and could lead to President Castillo's suspension from office if more than 65 of the 130 members were to vote in favour.

The threshold for the suspension is lower than that for the impeachment of the president, which needs 87 of the votes in Congress.

Congress is controlled by parties opposed to Mr Castillo but so far the president has managed to see off two impeachment attempts.

In March, 55 members of Congress voted to oust him, well short of the 87 votes needed.

Mr Castillo and his family and close advisers have been battling allegations of corruption for months.

As part of Tuesday's constitutional complaint, two of his ministers have been accused of influence peddling, and the house where the president's mother and sister live was searched.

His sister-in-law meanwhile is in pre-trial detention while investigators probe allegations of influence peddling. She has not been charged with any crime.

President Castillo told journalists that these acts amounted to a "political persecution" and promised to remain firm in the face of it.

Peru has seen a number of presidents ousted from office in recent years. In 2020, it had three presidents within the space of five days.