The Organization of American States (OAS) will hold a special meeting Thursday on the political crisis in Peru, where President Pedro Castillo faces several investigations he denounces as a "coup d'etat."
Addressing the nation live on TV, the president said he had asked the 35-member OAS to invoke its "democratic charter," which sets out the body's mission "to promote and consolidate representative democracy."
Castillo is relying in particular on Article 17, which allows a member state to request assistance "for the strengthening and preservation of its democratic system" if it fears this to be at risk.
He has survived two impeachment attempts since taking office in July 2021 and is the target of six criminal investigations, and as of last week, a constitutional complaint filed by Peru's attorney general that accuses the president of heading a criminal organization involving his family and allies. The complaint—the first of its kind against a sitting president—must be examined by parliament, and unlike a criminal case, can lead to Castillo's suspension.
Castillo, serving a five-year term that ends in 2026, cannot be criminally tried while in office.
Read more here.
