Prosecutors from Peru’s Public Ministry requested a sentence of 34 years in prison Friday for former President Pedro Castillo, who is currently in detention on charges of rebellion and conspiracy against the state after an alleged December 2022 coup d’etat. In a social media post the Public Ministry announced the preferred sentence against the former president for “crimes of rebellion, abuse of authority, and serious disturbance of the peace.”

The news is the latest development in a saga of political crises and social unrest that has plagued the South American country for the better part of the last decade. Pedro Castillo, born to a peasant family from one of the poorest parts of Peru, campaigned as a leftist candidate of the Free Peru Party, which promised reform and action against prevalent corruption. He won the presidential election in 2021.

A political novice, Castillo faced pushback from a majority opposition in the Peruvian Congress as well as several lawsuits over corruption, including an impeachment from the very beginning of his presidency. On the eve of an impeachment vote he attempted to dissolve the legislative body and rule by decree until a new government could be formed. The action was quickly denounced by both Congress and the Peruvian Armed Forces and Castillo was removed from office for “moral incapacity.”

Following his removal and detention anti-government protests rocked the country, with 55 people being killed in demonstrations against the elevated government led by former vice-president Dina Boluarte. The crackdowns against the protests were condemned by the UN and other human rights groups. The Public Ministry has pursued a prosecution against Castillo while also starting a probe against current President Boluarte over the police response to the unrest.

Castillo asserted shortly after his ousting that he was the victim of a political conspiracy from a dictatorial congress in league with big business. He has since maintained his innocence.