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Release of Ex-President Castillo Not Current Government's Concern, Says Ex-Candidate
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Release of Ex-President Castillo Not Current Government's Concern, Says Ex-Candidate

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • An excandidato presidential in Peru stated that the potential release of former President Pedro Castillo is not the responsibility of the current government.
  • Jorge Nieto argued that any decision on Castillo's release should be made by the incoming administration, led by Keiko Fujimori, as part of a reconciliation effort.
  • Castillo's defense has filed a habeas corpus petition based on a UN working group's opinion that his detention was arbitrary, while another excandidato called for his release.

The question of releasing former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who is currently imprisoned, rests not with the current administration but with the incoming government, according to excandidato presidential Jorge Nieto. Nieto, who leads the center-right Party of Good Government, met with President-elect Keiko Fujimori to discuss urgent government matters, including the clemency and pardon requests filed by Castillo's defense.

if the possibility of reviewing the legal situation of Pedro Castillo is placed within the framework of a symbolic policy of reconciliation and rapprochement of the country, then it is not a task that falls to this government, but to the one that is entering.

— Jorge NietoNieto explaining why the decision on Castillo's release should fall to the next administration.

Nieto explained that if reviewing Castillo's legal situation is intended as a symbolic act of reconciliation, it falls outside the purview of the current government. He suggested that Fujimori's administration, set to begin on July 28, should consider this matter. Nieto advised Fujimori to explore avenues for Castillo's release that could foster national decompression and depoliticization, especially after a closely contested election.

I have suggested to her that she consider the routes for the freedom of the former president Castillo seeking that the country find spaces for decompression and depoliticization.

— Jorge NietoNieto detailing his advice to President-elect Fujimori regarding Castillo's case.

Castillo's lawyer, Walter Ayala, has submitted a habeas corpus petition seeking the former president's immediate release. This action is based on a non-binding opinion from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded that Castillo's arrest was arbitrary and lacked due process. The UN group's findings could potentially alter the legal and constitutional landscape regarding presidential pardons for detained individuals.

that document does modify a bit the legal, legal and constitutional scenario of the form and manner in which a pardon can be given to a detained person.

— BalcázarBalcázar commenting on the impact of the UN working group's opinion on Castillo's case.

Meanwhile, excandidato presidential Roberto Sánchez, who represented Castillo's interests during the election, has demanded the interim president release the former leader, citing the UN working group's opinion. Sánchez emphasized that Peru has a history of rectifying arbitrary actions and urged the current administration to continue this practice. He also confirmed plans for a mobilization in Lima on Wednesday, July 15, to advocate for Castillo's release and justice for victims in southern Peru.

When it corresponds that there has been an arbitrary action, the conduct of the Peruvian State has been to make restitution.

— Roberto SánchezSánchez referencing Peru's past actions in cases of arbitrary detention.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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