Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra on Monday dissolved Congress and called for fresh elections, prompting a vote by lawmakers to suspend him, deepening a long-running institutional crisis.
The announcement by Vizcarra came after he warned Congress he would dissolve the body if it continued to block a raft of anti-corruption reforms and changes to the way judges are appointed to the nation’s Supreme Court.
Vizcarra called new congressional elections for Jan. 26, according to a decree published in the official gazette.
Photo: AP
Shortly after his televised statement, 86 of the 130-member Congress voted to suspend Vizcarra for one year on the grounds of “moral incapacity” and nominated Peruvian Vice President Mercedes Araoz as acting head of state.
The chamber is to meet on Friday to consider a motion to dismiss the president, Peruvian House of Representatives Speaker Pedro Olaechea said.
“We are facing a coup d’etat,” opposition Legislator Jorge del Castillo said of Vizcarra’s move. “I hope the armed forces and the police will stay out of this charade.”
However, the chiefs of the police and army “reaffirmed their full support for the constitutional order” and Vizcarra at the presidential palace in Lima, the presidency said on Twitter, posting a photo of the meeting.
Supporters of the move to dissolve Congress also took to the streets across Peru, with one demonstration in Lima drawing about 2,000 people.
Hundreds gathered outside congress honking horns, chanting and carrying signs with phrases like “Get out, corrupt politicians!”
Others tried to force their way into the legislature to get lawmakers out, but were driven back by police with tear gas.
Vizcarra — whose anti-graft drive has won him widespread popularity — has repeatedly clashed with Congress, which is dominated by the Popular Force party of Keiko Fujimori.
Fujimori is the eldest daughter of disgraced former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori and is herself in prison awaiting trial after being accused of accepting US$1.2 million in illicit party funding from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign.
The Supreme Court is debating whether to free Keiko Fujimori — once Peru’s most popular politician — from pre-trial detention.
Odebrecht has admitted paying at least US$29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials since 2004.
Three former Peruvian presidents, including Vizcarra’s predecessor, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, are also being investigated over Odebrecht, while a fourth, Alan Garcia, committed suicide in April after police arrived at his house to arrest him on charges of money laundering.
Additional reporting by AP
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