President Vizcarra is ousted

PERU - In Brief 09 Nov 2020 by Alfredo Thorne

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After a tense impeachment process that started on the morning of November 9, Congress voted by 105 votes, 19 against and 4 abstained, to oust President Martin Vizcarra. President Vizcarra was investigated by the Attorney General Office for corruption while he was Moquegua’s Governor, a small State in the south of Peru.He had been accused by potential protected witnesses, but the charges had not been corroborated. While these accusations were disclosed by the press, Congress decided to impeach him. Initially we thought that Congress would not have the 87 votes needed. However, the evidence in favor of the accusations mounted, and he made a very confrontational defense that morning in Congress.Before we went to press President Vizcarra acknowledged defeat and said that he was leaving the Presidential Palace, and his whole Cabinet resigned. It is apparent that he did not anticipate such a large vote in Congress. Moreover, the Constitution is very clear that once the President is notified of the impeachment he has to leave. According to the same Constitution and in absence of any of the two vice-presidents, Congress' President takes over. Congress officials called for a Congressional session at 10am, November 10, for Mr. Manuel Merino, Congress' President, swearing-in ceremony.With no balance of power, the risk is that the new government formed by Mr. Merino approves all the populist legislation that Congress wanted to pass. Note that President Vizcarra and his Cabinet contained all this populist legislation that either was blocked by his administration or by the highest court, the Constitutional Tribunal, when it failed to observe the Constitution. Key to watch would be t...