Pedro Castillo is a Peruvian teacher, union leader, and politician who became prominent on the national stage when he was elected president of Peru in 2021. Born on October 19, 1969, in the rural region of Cajamarca in northern Peru, Castillo comes from a modest family of farmers. His upbringing in a poor rural area strongly influenced his commitment to workers' rights and his focus on improving the living conditions of the most disadvantaged communities.
He began his career as a primary school teacher, where he taught for more than 20 years. Castillo gained national recognition in 2017 when he led a nationwide teachers’ strike, demanding better working conditions, higher salaries, and reforms in the education sector. Although the strike was controversial, it raised his profile among Peru's working class and established him as a defender of teachers' and workers' rights.
Castillo's political career took a major turn when he was elected president of Peru in June 2021, representing the radical left-wing party "Perú Libre." His presidential campaign focused on promises of agrarian reform, nationalization of key industries, and rewriting the Constitution to create a more equitable and inclusive economic model. Castillo won the election by a narrow margin against right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori in a highly polarized political and social environment.
His presidency was fraught with challenges from the outset. From the very beginning of his term, Castillo faced fierce opposition from the Peruvian Congress, which was dominated by conservative political forces. Tensions between the executive and legislative branches led to a period of unstable governance, marked by corruption accusations, frequent cabinet reshuffles, and multiple attempts at impeachment. Castillo also struggled to implement his economic reforms, facing strong resistance from the country’s economic and political elites.
On the international front, Castillo aligned himself with a moderate left-wing agenda, seeking to strengthen ties with regional allies like Mexico, Bolivia, and Argentina. He also expressed a desire to combat Peru’s endemic corruption and to promote a fairer distribution of wealth from the country’s extractive industries, particularly mining, which plays a major role in the Peruvian economy.
However, his administration was plagued by social unrest, rising inflation, and difficulties in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Castillo was often criticized for his lack of political experience and for being unable to navigate the complexities of the Peruvian political system, leading to a sharp decline in his popularity. On December 7, 2022, amid growing tensions with Congress, Castillo attempted to dissolve the legislature, but this move failed, resulting in his impeachment and subsequent arrest. He was replaced by his vice president, Dina Boluarte.
Despite the brevity and controversies of his presidency, Pedro Castillo remains a significant figure in Peruvian politics, representing the rise to power of a leader from rural, working-class roots. His journey from the classroom to the presidency symbolized the aspirations of many Peruvians, though his government was unable to fully meet their expectations. His arrest sparked further protests, leaving a nation still deeply divided.