Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who is suspected of corruption, dissolved Congress shortly before a no-confidence vote against him.
On Wednesday, the left-wing politician announced the formation of an "emergency government" in an address to the nation.
The largest Peruvian newspaper "El Comercio" immediately spoke of a "coup d'etat".
Castillo also ordered a nationwide curfew.
He stated that the judicial system should be reorganized.
His party kept their distance from Castillo.
Tim Niendorf
political editor.
Follow I follow
"Congress has destroyed the rule of law, democracy and the balance between state powers," Castillo said.
With the emergency regime, he wants to restore the rule of law and democracy.
He announced new elections and the prospect of drafting a new constitution.
For the time being he will rule with decrees.
Anyone possessing illegal weapons must hand them over to the police within 72 hours.
Anyone who does not comply with this request must expect imprisonment.
Memories of the 1990s come alive
Castillo, a former trade unionist and village school teacher, made a surprise runoff in last year's presidential election, defeating Keiko Fujimori, whose father, Alberto Fujimori, also dissolved Congress in 1992, which amounted to a coup d'etat.
The current development is reminiscent of that time.
The President of Peru's Constitutional Court, Francisco Morales, called President Castillo's dissolution of Congress a "coup d'etat" and a violation of constitutional order.
Castillo is "no longer President of Peru".
It remained unclear whether the MPs will hold a vote against all odds.
Castillo has survived two no-confidence votes in his short tenure.
The secretary general of Perú Libre, Castillo's party, criticized the president after his announcement.
"Perú Libre does not support a coup." The Perú Libre party describes itself as Marxist-Leninist.