Peru: Parliament launches impeachment proceedings against President Martin Vizcarra

The Peruvian president during his televised speech on September 10, 2020 about the political crisis.

Carla PATINO / Peruvian Presidency / AFP

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The Peruvian Parliament voted Friday, September 11, to initiate an impeachment procedure against President Martin Vizcarra, after the dissemination of documents compromising him in a corruption case.

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The motion, presented by several parties, had to obtain at least 52 votes to be adopted and trigger the formal impeachment procedure which must be voted on within four days.

Of the 130 members, all of whom were not physically present or did not participate in the vote, 65 parliamentarians voted in favor of initiating the procedure, 36 against and 24 abstained.

During the formal vote, the date of which has not been fixed, 87 votes will be necessary to remove the head of state, who has no majority.

will have the opportunity to defend himself before Parliament.

In the event of dismissal, the President of Parliament will act as interim until the end of the current term of office on July 28, 2021.

"Investigation in progress"

Martin Vizcarra had taken the reins of the country after the resignation of

, of which he was the vice-president.

He found himself in the hot seat by surprise.

In question, the broadcast this Thursday, September 10 in front of parliamentarians of an audio recording in which he is presented manipulating witnesses by asking them to hide the truth, in an investigation into a corruption case.

This case concerns the hiring of a singer by the Ministry of Culture, the justice suspecting the artist, of low reputation, of having benefited from a contract of convenience.

During the debates, opposition parliamentarian Jose Vega said the recordings " 

 " the alleged irregularities which the parliament has been investigating for months.

His left-wing counterpart, Mirtha Vasquez, criticized the fact that he wanted to " 

 ."

" 

President Vizcarra, who was visiting a laboratory where 6,000 Peruvians are volunteering to test an anti-Covid-19 vaccine, asked parliamentarians " 

 ".

Thursday, after the broadcast of the recordings in the hemicycle, the head of state was more incisive during a televised address.

" 

", he had launched, considering himself the victim of a " 

 ".

This political crisis comes as the executive and parliament clash over a government-led reform to ban those who have been convicted from standing for election.

Peru has experienced strong political instability in recent years.

Martin Vizcarra has so far won popular support through his intransigence towards Parliament, unlike his predecessors, and his anti-corruption crusade, in a country where the last four presidents have had trouble with the justice.

(

AFP)

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