Prosecutor reveals Castillo conviction never formally established 'coup d'état'

Anti-corruption prosecutor José Domingo Pérez publicly disclosed that the Special Criminal Chamber's November 2025 conviction of ex-president Pedro Castillo — widely described as sentencing him for a 'coup d'état' — never formally established the term 'golpe de estado' in the written ruling. Castillo was convicted only for 'conspiracy for rebellion' (conspiracion para la rebelion), carrying an 11-year, 5-month sentence. Prosecutors had sought 34 years under a full rebellion charge. The clarification reignited debate over the December 7, 2022 events and their political characterization, though Castillo remains imprisoned and the conviction stands. Castillo had attempted to use his trial hearings for electoral campaigning before his mic was cut by the court.