Peru’s prime minister criticizes criminalization of demonstrations in support of Pedro Castillo

Peru’s Prime Minister, Anibal Torres, has criticized on Tuesday the criminalization of the mobilizations announced in support of the country’s president, Pedro Castillo.

Torres has affirmed, during a meeting with authorities of the city Tingo Maria in the center of the country, that summoning the population to mobilize to defend Castillo’s government should not be a crime, after the criticism received for his call to the population.

“Let’s work based on the truth, not making false imputations (…). Mobilization (it seems that) is already a crime. No then, let’s not go to extremes,” criticized the prime minister, in statements reported by local media.

In this sense, the politician has added that he is not afraid of censorship by Congress for these statements in which he asked “to free Peru by speaking the truth no matter how much it hurts.” “Why are we going to be condemned for telling the truth? How is Peru going to be liberated if the truth is not told?” he added.

On August 11, Torres encouraged Castillo’s supporters to travel from the provinces to the capital, Lima, to “bring the coup plotters to their knees,” referring to the opposition and the judicial system, which has several open files against the president.

“If you, with that energy you have, with that will to defend your interests, those of your children and your children’s children, with that will you would bring 50 people each to Lima, you would bring the coup plotters to their knees. They would force them so that we have a Constitution that benefits all Peruvians”, he asserted.

The call for mobilizations raised alarms among the opposition, who have questioned the legality of members of the Executive being involved in the calls.

In addition, the president of the Congress, Lady Camones, requested this Monday that security measures be adopted for the workers of the Chamber because “they could affect the integrity of those who work” in it.