Peru Congress to hold second vote on Kuczynski impeachment
Lima, (MILLAT ONLINE):Peru’s Congress will vote next week on whether to impeach President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski over alleged bribe-taking from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, it decided Thursday.
The 89-year-old former Wall Street banker will be invited to make his case before the opposition-dominated Congress, assisted by a lawyer. The Congress agreed by 87 votes to 15 to hold an impeachment debate and vote next week, but has yet to decide on the date.
“I have nothing to hide and I am willing to declare with total transparency before the corresponding instances,” Kuczynski said in a Tweet on Thursday.
The threat of Kuczynksi’s dismissal has caused uncertainty in Peru the month before it hosts the Summit of the Americas, which brings together leaders from the Western Hemisphere, including US President Donald Trump.
In December, Kuczynski survived an impeachment motion in Congress over the same Odebrecht-related matter.
A week later he was questioned for four hours in his office by anti-corruption prosecutors over his links to Odebrecht.
The former banker was accused of lying about his ties to the company.
He later admitted he had taken money from Odebrecht for what he and the company said were legitimate consulting fees.
Kuczynski was Peru’s economy minister for part of the period during which the money was received, 2004-2013.
The opposition needed 51 votes to unleash the impeachment process, but got 87 votes, which is the number required to have the president impeached in next week’s vote.
“They have obtained the exact number they need to dismiss him, a number that can go up or down, which suggests there’s going to be an underground battle to the death between both sides,” analyst Luis Benavente told AFP.
His removal by Congress would mean the elevation of First Vice President Martin Vizcarra, who also serves as ambassador to Canada.
Odebrecht has admitted spending millions to bribe government officials across Latin America to secure public works contracts.