Peru's Castillo dissolves Congress, to name 'emergency' govt

Peru's President Pedro Castillo on Wednesday dissolved Congress and said he will form an emergency government that will rule by decree, just hours before a debate was due over his impeachment.

In a televised message to the nation, the embattled leader announced he was "temporarily dissolving Congress... and installing an exceptional emergency government."

He said he would convene a new Congress "as soon as possible to draft a new Constitution within a period of no more than nine months."

"From this date and until the new Congress is established, the country will be governed by executive order. A national curfew is decreed as of today from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am," said the president, wearing a blue suit and presidential sash.

He also declared the "reorganization of the justice system, the judiciary power of the public ministry, the national board of justice and the constitutional court."

The announcement came several hours before Congress was to debate its third impeachment motion against Castillo since his election in July 2021.