FORMER Peruvian president Pedro Castillo went on trial on Tuesday, charged with rebellion, grave abuse of authority and perturbing public tranquillity, in a case that has polarised the South American nation.

The charges stem from a failed effort by Mr Castillo to declare a state of emergency and dissolve Peru’s congress as legislators prepared an impeachment vote against him on December 7 2022.

Mr Castillo was swiftly ousted by congress and arrested after prosecutors accused him of trying to promote a coup. 

But the removal of Mr Castillo, Peru’s first Indigenous president, sparked large protests in the south of the country, in which at least 49 people were killed, in the weeks following his removal.

Then vice-president Dina Boluarte was appointed by congress to replace Mr Castillo and continues to lead a right-wing government. 

The former president’s trial is taking place in a police base, where he has been held since removal.

Prosecutors have said they are seeking a 34-year prison sentence against Mr Castillo, a former union leader and rural school teacher, who won Peru’s 2021 election with a historic victory over the nation’s political Establishment.

In an opening statement, Mr Castillo denied being guilty of rebellion.

“All I did was express the wishes of the people through a speech,” Mr Castillo said of his effort to dissolve congress. 

Mr Castillo did not bring a lawyer to the trial, which he has described as a farce on his social media accounts, and was instead appointed a public defender. 

The former president has tried to get one of the judges overseeing the trial removed, arguing she has already expressed her views on his actions.

Mr Castillo is also facing a separate investigation for corruption in which he has been accused of irregularly providing promotions to members of the military and avoiding standard procurement practices to grant a contract for a bridge.