The former president of Peru, Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), was sentenced this Thursday to 11 years, 5 months, and 15 days in prison for the crime of conspiracy for rebellion, following the failed coup attempt he led on December 7, 2022. The 56-year-old former head of state was acquitted of the crimes of abuse of power and disturbing the public order, reported the site DW, which had access to the Argentine News Agency. The Supreme Court resolved to "condemn José Pedro Castillo Terrones as co-author of the crime against the powers of the State and the constitutional order in the mode of conspiracy for rebellion (...) and as such, a sentence of 11 years, 5 months, and 15 days of privative liberty of an effective nature is imposed on the convicted person," reported the site DW. The prosecution had requested 34 years in prison for all charges. The political leader, a rural school teacher and unionist who won against all odds in the 2021 elections, received the sentence calmly, accompanied by his lawyer, according to Judicial Power television images. The court highlighted that "Castillo was caught in flagrante delicti for the commission of the crime of rebellion." On the day of the events, Castillo gave a message to the nation in which he ordered the temporary dissolution of Congress (Parliament), the intervention of the Judiciary, and to govern by decrees, following a new and imminent motion in the Legislature, dominated by the opposition, to remove him from office after coming to light indications of alleged corruption that directly implicated him. However, his pronouncement had no effect, and a few minutes later he was arrested as he was leaving the Government Palace of Lima and apparently heading to the Mexican embassy, where his family did arrive and received asylum, while Castillo was hours later removed from office by Congress and sent to prison, where he remains to this day. Meanwhile, Betsi Chávez, former Prime Minister of Peru, who is asylumed at the Mexican embassy residence in Lima, was also sentenced to 11 years, 5 months, and 15 days in prison for her participation in the failed coup attempt. The court also issued a new search and capture order for Chávez.
