It’s a phrase rendered irrelevant in our political discourse as the liberal media has exhausted its use. How often have CNN, MSNBC, or any other liberal outlet said we’re in a “constitutional crisis” because Donald Trump, or the Republicans, passed legislation that increased personal freedom, created jobs, and expanded the economy? If they could, they would say Trump asking for two scoops of ice cream was a constitutional crisis, though many refrained out of fear of looking abjectly ridiculous.
Trump demanded we suspend the Constitution on his Truth Social platform until we’ve shored up election integrity measures, which has been met with a peculiar lack of panic from the liberal media establishment. Maybe that’s because all eyes were on the Georgia Senate runoff or Kanye West’s unhinged antics, but that remark would have sparked days’ worth of coverage about Trump plotting to take over the country. Maybe the media has learned how not to be played by him again, but I doubt that. These posts will come back, but until then, let’s go to a genuine constitutional crisis that occurred in Peru.
Blessedly, we’ve only had one constitutional crisis in the United States: The American Civil War. In Peru, they just ousted their president for trying to dissolve its congress. Ex-President Pedro Castillo, facing impeachment on corruption charges, took to the airwaves to announce the government's suspension, which shocked everyone, including his political allies. It was an unwelcomed throwback to the days of Alberto Fujimori’s authoritarian presidency, established by a self-coup in 1992. Fujimori suspended the congress, took over the courts, and ordered the arrests of his political opponents. Fujimori ordered tanks to be deployed at the Legislative Palace in Lima. Unlike 1992, this coup attempt failed, and now Castillo faces rebellion charges as well (via NYT):
It was a day on which much of Peru was focused on Congress, where an impeachment vote was planned against the president on corruption charges.
But shortly before noon, the Peruvian leader addressed the country in a surprise televised address. He announced the dissolution of Congress and the installation of an emergency government, stunning political leaders across the spectrum, including his own allies, by effectively trying to carry out what was widely condemned as an attempted coup to cling to power.
Government officials resigned en masse. The top court declared the move unconstitutional. And the country’s armed forces and the national police issued a joint statement suggesting they would not support him.
By day’s end, Pedro Castillo, 53, was ousted from power and under arrest.
[…]
On Wednesday, just two hours after Mr. Castillo’s announcement, Congress convened and voted to impeach the president. Lawmakers voted 101-6 with 10 abstentions to remove him from power.
He was seen leaving the presidential palace in a car that later entered a police station, and on Wednesday night the prosecutor’s office said it had directed his arrest on charges of “rebellion.”
Fujimori’s coup succeeded because he planned it with the military. Castillo failed in that endeavor, and this show collapses when the security apparatus isn’t behind you. With Castillo’s ouster, Vice President Dina Boluarte assumed the presidency, becoming the nation’s first female executive.
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